I'll Be Home
by Milky Etoile
Summary: AU A promise made with innocent smiles… Naruto and Sakura had become the best of friends for the previous years. On Naruto’s return after years of separation from Sakura, will they still look at each other in the same way? Fifth chapter on!
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** _A promise made with innocent smiles…_ Naruto and Sakura had become the best of friends for the previous years. On Naruto's return after years of separation from Sakura, will they still look at each other in the same way? Alternate universe (slight) romance story. Still revolves around the plot with _minor_ changes…:D (New summary updated)

**Author's notes:** Hey there people! Milky here and on a Naruto fanfiction! So please do forgive me if this turns out not as good as I/you hoped it would be. This would be half…fine, it's almost a full alternate universe story and with OOC-ness entailing it. By the way, I didn't place there much setting changes and as much as I would want to explain everything in much more detail, I've restrained myself to not do so and leave your minds to actually work! MUAHAHAHA! Ehem…er… anyways, I'm not revealing much here. It's for you to read and find out. Hope you'll like it! It won't be my fault if you don't like the pairing _I _like though…And the usual translations are found at the bottom…:D And I recommend you listen to _"Home Sweet Home"_ by YUKI, the theme song for the _Seven-colored Chakra_ movie. The song is quite fitting…Don't ask me what the movie's about though. I'm not about to spoil you for it…hehe…

**Disclaimer:** Obviously, I don't own it. Characters and elements belong to Kishimoto Masaki-san…Wish I could own it though…especially Naruto! He shall be mine some day! MUAHAHAHAHA! –cough- Ehem…Well, anyways, must proceed…

**Dedication:** This first chapter is dedicated to one of my new friends who had just had her birthday! Aries-chan, cheer up! It's your special day after all. Well, at least it just came…Er…I'm late again…:P Oh, and have a nice day Mon-chan! Hehe…:D

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"_Something of a person's character may be discovered by observing how he smiles. Some people never smile; they only grin."  
__-Christian Nestell Bovee

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_

**I'll Be Home**

_By_

_Milky Étoile

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_

**Chapter One**

**_First Encounter, First Farewell

* * *

_**

"See you tomorrow then Sakura-chan!" The blonde-haired girl waved at her for the last time before following her mother's retreating form.

"Mata ashita, Ino-chan!" The green-eyed seven year old girl waved back until her best friend came out of sight.

Haruno Sakura sighed before she turned around to head for the swings. Her mom wasn't coming for another hour since she had some 'business' to attend to. That actually being a mission. She wasn't told what it was though; no one ever was. Well, missions are supposed to be like that anyway. At least now she could play for a while.

Then again, who could still be around at this time of the day?

She was pleasantly surprised though when she saw the silhouette of someone around her age sitting on a swing alone. As she got closer, she noticed that it was a blonde haired boy whose blue eyes where staring sadly at the ground. She stopped on her tracks as she recognized the boy. It was a classmate of hers.

The melancholic boy was none other than the quiet outcast, Uzumaki Naruto.

The sight of the blonde looking downtrodden made her wonder.

Sure, he might've always been lonely, but how could someone look so glum as if someone had died? Even as an outcast, he would always try his best at class and appeared determined to learn what was taught. That look now plastered on his face was nothing like she ever saw on her friend, Ino's face whenever she would miss the sight of her crush, the young prodigy, Uchiha Sasuke. The pink-haired girl was then jerked out of her thoughts when she noticed her classmate look up to her.

Intense blue met calm green.

They were locked in each other's gazes for a few moments.

It was at that time that Sakura saw, despite Naruto's look of surprise, the glint of loneliness and utter sadness in his clear blue eyes.

The pink-haired girl felt her cheeks warming up as she blushed, realizing that Naruto still kept his intent gaze on her. He looked thoughtful for a moment then flashed a huge grin.

"Haruno…Sakura-chan desu ne?" the blonde asked, startling the girl standing before him.

"Ha-hai…Uzumaki Naruto, right?" she finally blurted out after composing herself. Naruto only nodded, straightening and getting off the swing he was sitting on.

"Well, I guess I should be going. You can play in the swing now. See you around!" The blonde bowed politely at her and walked off, passing her. This startled Sakura even more but she quickly made up her mind.

"Ma-matte, Naruto-kun!" Sakura turned around to see the whiskered boy stopping from his tracks. Naruto turned back, looking at her with a questioning gaze.

"Nani? Is there anything you need with me?" he asked in a slightly nervous voice. He was afraid she might want to say something like the adults always said to him when he passed them.

It took Sakura a few seconds before answering. "Do you…Can you play for a while with me?"

Naruto was floored by this. No one ever wanted to play with him. Nor talk even, except for that old man and one of their teachers, Iruka-sensei. The blonde's silence made Sakura feel a bit down.

"Well…I can understand if you wouldn't want to. After all, I—" She was cut off by the blonde.

"Of course I would want to! I don't have anyone to play with anyway and I don't have anything to do. So, what do you want to do?" Naruto asked enthusiastically, that same foxy grin now on his face once more.

"Eto…ano…" Sakura thought for a moment, having been startled by the sudden outburst of the classmate she thought was silent. "How about we play on the swings for a while?"

"Okay then! You sit in it while I push you!" Naruto quickly went behind the swing and watched Sakura as she sat on the swing and held on to the chains.

"Hold on tight! This'll be fun!" The blonde prepared himself to push…

"Naruto-kun, don't push too—AH!" Sakura squealed as Naruto pushed the swing hard. For a boy his age, he sure was strong.

"Gomen! Did I push too hard?" The blonde boy pushed again, but this time with less strength.

"Ah…not real-KYA!" Sakura again cried out after having been pushed even harder.

"TOMARE!"

That made Naruto stop the swing immediately from moving. His expression became a half confused and half nervous one as he looked at the girl in front of her intently. He then became even more confused (if it were possible at the moment; he's, I mean, they're kids after all…) when the pink-haired girl started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" The boy finally asked after trying to comprehend the reason for someone to laugh when here he thought she didn't like it one bit. His tone was laced with a bit of annoyance too since _she_ was the one who _wanted_ him to play with her, and now she laughs after having _ordered_ him to stop.

"Well…It's just that…" she started then took a deep breath before continuing with a bright smile on her features. "I thought it was funny!"

At least now, the blonde understood, apparently, when comprehension dawned on his face and he started to laugh as well.

* * *

"It's a bunny!" 

"No, that's a frog!"

"No way! That's definitely a cute bunny!"

"It's a frog!"

"A bunny!"

"A bunny frog!"

"It's a—Eh! Nani!" Sakura sat up and turned to the now grinning Naruto, who was still lying on the grass. "What's that supposed to be? And is there even such a thing!" The pink-haired girl stared at her new blonde-haired friend in disbelief.

"There is now!" was the short and soft reply. Naruto's blue eyes continued to stare at the now darkening sky. It had already been half an hour since they've personally met, and only ten since they've been lying on the grass, talking about random things until they started gazing at the few clouds still visible before the sunset.

At first, Sakura had thought the blonde was too quiet and wouldn't be fun to be with, especially with the frown he wore on his face earlier. But now, as she continued to look at him, she thought Naruto was actually a nice person. Not to mention, his looks weren't so bad, although not as good looking as that Sasuke that was also in their class. Even so, when gazing at the blonde's sapphire blue eyes, Sakura felt captured by them. Especially now, when they were filled with kindness and joy, unlike the loneliness that was there before.

"Sakura-chan? Is there something wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?" The voice of the blue-eyed boy was laced with worry, wondering if it was something she was feeling or something he said that made her quiet. He too sat up and turned to the other. The pink-haired girl blushed as she realized she was now in Naruto's gaze once more.

"N-no! There's nothing to worry about! It's just that…ano…" Sakura trailed off, unsure if she should continue.

Naruto cocked his head to the side, giving her a questioning glance. "Nani? It's just that, what?"

"Well…I was just wondering…" Sakura shifted uneasily before turning her gaze at him. "Why…Why were you alone there a while ago and looking sad?" It had been bugging her since she first saw him on the swing. She was mildly surprised when the boy's expression fell instantly. "But if you don't want to say it, you don't need too!" she quickly added after seeing his reaction.

Naruto shook his head slightly and looked back at her. "No…I should tell you. A friend's got to be honest and I'm you're friend, right?" He flashed her another foxy grin before fixing a serious and a rather gloomy look on his face.

"Well, you see…it's quite a long story…"

* * *

"Yo! Sakura-chan!" 

The sudden outburst of the familiar voice made the pink haired girl jump from her position. She turned around and glared at the grinning whiskered boy that sneaked up behind her.

"U-ZU-MA-KI NA-RU-TO…"

The blonde literally felt Sakura's anger leering off towards him. He felt himself shrink under the green-eyed girl's gaze and started to laugh nervous. It was then he remembered just how a nine-year-old pink haired girl could do when angered. This made him try to come up with some sort of an escape route from the Hokage monument (although escaping her is already considered impossible). That is if ever his best friend wouldn't change her furious attitude when she'd heard about Naruto's good news. Although that came along with bad news as well. He was jerked out of his train of thought when he heard the same person he was thinking of scream into his ear.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU—DO NOT SNEAK UP FROM BEHIND ME LIKE THAT! AND LISTEN WHEN SOMEBODY'S TALKING TO YOU!"

Those statements above said by a certain pink haired girl in the _proper_ way of saying it could almost make every single thing, alive or not, deaf even if the latter didn't even have ears at all. But of course, Naruto was almost used to it already after exactly two years of being her best friend. _Almost_ used to it at least. Twenty five words in three breaths was a new record though.

Naruto only flinched, having heard that kind of tone of her voice only too much. He put up a straight face and tried not to twitch at the memories of being scolded by Sakura after doing something against the rules of the Academy and getting in trouble or her _own_ rules (all of which he only found out in not-so-nice ways). That was a different story though. Now he had to tell her what had happened.

Sakura, by now, was breathing heavily, still enraged by Naruto's actions. She was debating with herself, thinking whether pummeling the blonde until he died was better than throwing him from the top of the monument or not. She was spared the liberty of deciding when Naruto started to speak.

"Naa, Sakura-chan? Do you know what happened yesterday? At the Academy?" he asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Sakura cocked her head to the side and tried to recall what had happened in their class. Her eyes widened when she remembered what their Iruka-sensei had said the day before. The genin tests! How could she have forgotten?

"You were in it, right? Well? Did you pass?" The pink haired girl looked at Naruto eagerly, forgetting her earlier reaction.

The blonde got something from his pocket. He took the girl's right hand and placed something black that had a metal material attached to it. When Sakura looked at her hand, it showed a forehead protector, with the symbol of Konoha etched on the flat surface of the metal. She looked back at the blonde in shock. Naruto gave her one of his genuine smiles.

"Sakura-chan, can you do me a favor? Can you to put that forehead protector on me?" he asked, still with that smile on his features.

Sakura's surprised look turned into that of a curious one. "Why do you want me to do that?"

Naruto looked a bit serious as he spoke. "Because I want you to, Sakura-chan. Please?"

The girl thought for a moment. "Alright then."

This made Naruto to revert back to his cheerful self. "Yatta!" He stood still for a moment as the other put the hitae-ate on him. "Arigato, Sakura-chan!"

The pink haired girl returned his smile. "It's nothing! Say, you wanna go buy some ramen to celebrate your being a genin?"

"Sure! And it'll be my treat!"

"Let's go then!"

"Yeah!" Naruto guessed the bad news can wait until later. Or maybe, never be said.

* * *

"It's late already! Okaasan's probably getting worried…" 

The pink haired girl glanced nervously at the silver pocket watch attached to a chain that was tied on a belt she was wearing. When her blonde companion saw this, a smile crept on his whiskered face. He recognized that watch. It was the one he had gotten her on her previous birthday with all his savings. Seeing that it was still in very good shape _and_ polished made him feel elated.

"Oi, Sakura-chan! Don't worry! I dropped by your house a while ago before meeting you and told your mom we might be late. She said it was okay too!" The blonde turned to grin at Sakura.

"Ah…That's good…At least she won't be worried…"

Silence ensued as they continued walking on the streets of Konoha. That was, until Sakura realized what the blonde had just said.

"NANI! You asked okaasan! And she didn't object to it!" Sakura loudly exclaimed, the volume of her voice almost able to wake up those around them.

"Shush! You're being too loud!" The other boy stopped walking and turned back to her, holding up his index finger to his lips.

At this, Sakura covered her mouth, her eyes glancing from side to side. When she saw no one was around awake, she continued in a whisper. "Tell me you're lying, Naruto-kun…There's absolutely no way she would allow me to go out until this time of night…"

Naruto rolled his eyes and continued walking. "Hai, I asked her and yes, she didn't object at all. She said she trusts I would take care of you…"

Sakura raised an eyebrow and followed closely behind him. Now as she thought about, her mother probably trusted her that much now because he was now a genin. Yeah, that's it…It couldn't have been anything else…

The silence remained unbroken as they continued to make their way to Sakura's home.

…but now, as the pink-haired girl stared at her newly-turned-genin friend, there was an unexplainable sinking feeling inside her. Why was she feeling uneasy? Was this some kind of foreshadowing of something about to happen? If it was so, what would happen? Would it be something devastating?

Sakura's thoughts were cut off though when she hit Naruto as he halted. She was about to scold her for not warning her when she realized they were already in front of her house. She sighed and waved at Naruto before going to the front door.

"Matte, Sakura!"

Sakura turned back to the blonde, with a confused expression on her face. Did Naruto just address her as just 'Sakura' and not 'Sakura-chan'? So far, she's never heard him do that.

"Nani? Is there something you need Naruto-kun?" she asked, still wondering what made him call her that. Sakura observed Naruto's features. He was wearing a blank expression though the sad glint in his eyes was evident. This made her wonder even more. What was there to be gloomy for?

"Oi, Naruto! Is something wrong?" Sakura repeated, snapping Naruto back into reality.

"Ano…" The blonde hesitated in telling her. If he said it, she'll be really sad and he hated seeing her like that. "…you see…"

"Well?" Sakura's voice had a tinge of annoyance in it, which made Naruto flinch. After a moment, Sakura was surprised that Naruto showed her another real smile.

"Um, well…can you close your eyes first?" At this, Sakura looked even more confused yet she complied. She waited for a few moments before Naruto spoke again.

"You can open your eyes now."

As she did, she saw him now right in front of her, the smile still on his features. Then she realized that there seemed to have been something weighing on her neck. When she looked, she saw a golden heart-shaped locket looking elegant as it hung on a gold chain that she now wore. As she analyzed it closer, she noticed three diamond studs on the side. She opened the locket and what she saw in it made her heart feel like it swell. Along with it, she heard a soft melody playing from it.

Sakura looked back at Naruto after breaking off from her trance. "This is…for me?" she managed to choke out. The boy only nodded.

"Why are you giving me this? I'm supposed to be the one giving you a gift yet you put this on me?"

"I just wanted to. Is it wrong to give someone a gift when he wants to? Besides, I wanted to see if I could actually make one of those…or help at least."

That wasn't a lie though. Naruto had actually met a woman a month ago whose expertise was dealing with metals. When he had asked suddenly if she could make a necklace with gold, she said yes to which Naruto almost immediately asked her to teach him to make one. In the end, the woman, who had introduced herself as Mika, said she could but not until she got out from him the reason for wanting to know. After he stated his purpose, she declared she'll teach him a few basics on making that kind of jewelry and would allow him to only help in doing the necklace. When it was finished, Mika said he could keep it with a minimal payment only if he came back again to buy some weapons if he would need them.

Sakura was surprised at that but didn't show it. Instead, she returned the smile. "Then I'll take good care of it." She closed the locket and kept it in her hand. "I promise."

At that, Naruto showed another foxy grin. "That's good to hear! Now, I think you should be going in now. Your mom might be waiting!" Sakura only nodded and went up the porch, only to run back to him. Naruto became surprised as she engulfed him in a hug and pecked him on the cheek before going back to the door. The blonde then had a blush as he stared at his friend.

"Arigato! Naruto!" Sakura said cheerfully, giving him another smile which made him turn a deeper shade of red. Naruto shook his head furiously and returned the smile.

"Iie! Thank _you!_" They both smiled at each other before Sakura broke the silence.

"Ja, I'll see you then!" Sakura waved her right hand at him.

"Yep! Mata ne!" Naruto raised his right arm.

"Oyasumi!"

"And to you too!"

"Be careful on your way home!"

"Hehe…take care, Sakura-chan!"

"I will! See you then…" Sakura opened the door and went in. She waved one last time before closing the door.

Naruto looked towards the window in Sakura's room. He smiled when the lights there opened and waved at room's owner before leaving towards his apartment. A soft whisper went with the gust of wind as it blew softly against his clothes.

"…sayonara, Sakura…"

* * *

"I wish you all good luck for tomorrow and I hope you're all prepared! Class dismissed!" 

Slowly, the students went out of the classroom as the teacher, Iruka, sat back on his chair and started to read his class record.

After a few minutes, all students had gone except for one. It was a twelve year old teen who was lost in her thoughts. Iruka noticed this and looked at the girl.

"Why are you still here? Is there anything you need?" he asked the pink haired girl. The girl shook her head and made her way to the door. She turned back to the teacher before leaving.

"Arigato, sensei. I'll see you tomorrow then." She bowed politely to him.

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow. I hope you'll do your best then, Haruno-kun."

"I will, sensei! Ja, mata!"

The girl then went out, leaving the chuunin alone in the classroom. Iruka sighed as he saw a small note that he had found on the teacher's desk that morning.

'_He's finally coming back…I wonder how he's become…'

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_

Sakura walked out of the Academy and went along the streets of Konoha. As she did so, she absently started to fiddle with a chain on her neck. She was again lost in her thoughts.

'_Tomorrow, I'll be like him…tomorrow…I wonder…'_

'…_will you ever be back?'

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_

つづく

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_What can you say? Good? Bad? Stupid? Annoying? Crazy? Mixed up? What! Come on! Just…please review…And advanced happy birthday to Naruto for Monday! Hehe…Well, here's my translations…_

_**Translation Notes:**_

_Mata ashita-_See you tomorrow

…_desu ne?-_…isn't it?; …right?

_Hai-_Yes

_Matte!-_Wait!; Just a moment!

_Eto…ano…-_Um…well…(said when stuttering or something of the sort…-.-;)

_Gomen-_I'm sorry

_Tomare!-_Stop!

_Nani?-_What?

_Yatta!-_Yeah! All right!

_Arigato-_Thank you, thanks

_Okaasan-_Mother, mom, mommy…(you know…)

_Iie-_No

_Oyasumi-_Goodnight

_Sayonara-_Goodbye, farewell (I'm not putting in a note about this anymore! Geez…as to why, look in _Kibou no Etoile…_Drats…)

* * *

_Well, that's all! I've got to go now…And now I got Naruto's song, "Gyu-ru-ru" stuck in my head that I almost wasn't able to do this! Darn…Takeuchi Junko does quite a nice way of voicing for him…Well, anyways, I recommend that you listen to it if you want to find out why at the moment, I'm finding it hard to say anything! Gah! That's it! I'm leaving! See you next time then! Please leave your review, okay? Take care! Ja, mata ne!_

_Chapter posted on October 8, 2005. Reposted on Oct. 15._

_Milky Étoile signing out! ;)_


	2. Chapter 2

**Note:** See edited summary in first chapter…:)

**A/N:** Hahahaha! –rofl- Haha…-cough- Ehem…Er…pretend I didn't just do that, okay? Uh, anyway, yeah. I finally got this chapter over with…barely too…Drats…darn those exams…grr…Anyhow, thanks to all those who reviewed! Review responses are found at the bottom as well as my usual translations! And this chapter is dedicated to all those who reviewed! Thanks again! Now on to the chapter! And we'll see what happens…:D

**Disclaimer:** The anime/manga does not belong to me, obviously. It is owned by one of my favorite creators, Kishimoto Masaki-san. Although as usual, I'm wishing I owned even _just_ Naruto…Just you see…one day, he's going to be mine! MUAHAHAHA! Ehem…Let's go on, shall we?

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

'_**Kyuubi talking'

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**_

"_Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time, which every day produces, and which most men throw away, but which nevertheless will make, at the end of it, no small deduction from the life of man."  
__-Charles Caleb Colton

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_

**I'll Be Home**

_By_

_Milky Étoile

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_

**Chapter Two**

**_Sudden Reminisce

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_**

On top of the Hokage monument, a lone figure could be seen sitting, looking at the village below. The figure sighed again and pulled out from her shirt a gold chain. On the chain was a golden heart-shaped locket with three diamond studs on one side. She put the locket in front of her and stared at it for a while before sighing again.

It had been three years. Three _long_ years. How long did that idiot plan to make her wait for him?

Of course, Sakura didn't know. Her blonde friend didn't say anything before leaving. When she asked their teacher, Iruka-sensei, after the he had bid goodbye to some old man, he hesitantly said that Naruto was to go with that man whom he was talking to a moment before. At that moment, she had already made her mind to follow the geezer but didn't when Iruka also just mentioned that man was one of the legendary Sannin.

Yet, even when that information had come from someone Sakura respected, she still doubted it. The man looked like that pervert who was peeking at the bath house a few days before. Well, at least the man _looked_ powerful. At least she _thought_ so. Or maybe not. Who knows?

Now that she thought about it, why did Naruto have to leave with that guy who smelled like a toad to go training anyways? Isn't it supposed to be that genins are in the genin teams with a jounin sensei? Sure, he might have been some sort of an extra graduate but this was weird…

Again, Sakura sighed. Even if it had been a long time since he left, she still can remember clearly what had happened that day before he left…the question her blonde haired best friend had asked…the promise…

"_Ano sa, ano sa, Sakura-chan! Tell me: if ever I leave for a long time, will you miss me?" The whiskered boy looked at the pink-haired nine-year old girl with eagerness. The girl looked startled with the question._

"_What are you talking about? You won't be leaving for that long, even with missions now. It's not as if genins are given year-long missions you know," Sakura said with an eyebrow raised at the blonde._

"_Oh, come on! Answer the question! Just suppose I was to leave: will you remember me and think about me?" the boy asked again insistently. This made Sakura sigh exasperatedly._

"_Oh, of course I will! What kind of friend forgets another? And besides, why are you asking _that_ kind of question anyway? It's not as if you'll be going off for some kind of training for some I-don't-know-how-many years, Naruto." The blonde stiffened beside her. They were again on the Hokage monument and the stars were already shining brightly above them. They sat in silence for a while and stared at the shimmering dots on the dark sky._

_As they continued to gaze at the sky, the instilled silence made Sakura feel that something was off._

"_Naruto, why—" Sakura was cut off from breaking the silence._

"_So, you'll miss me?" Naruto asked once more but in a somewhat serious tone. Sakura didn't notice it thought and only rolled her eyes before answering._

"_Didn't I say so already? And besides, aren't we supposed to be celebrating, not talking about such things?" Naruto only grinned again and looked at her straight in her green eyes._

"_Ja, let's make a promise!" he said enthusiastically._

"_Eh? Yakusoku ka?" Sakura looked at him with curiosity._

"_Un! I promise that if ever go away, I'll come back much stronger than I've ever been!"_

_Sakura's left eyebrow shot up._

"_And Sakura-chan would wait for me here on this monument for me!" he continued._

_The girl's other eyebrow joined the left._

"_Then I would come back and protect you! And the whole village too! Then I'll replace the old man and become the next Hokage! Then I'll be able to protect everyone, especially you!" Naruto did his 'good guy' pose and showed one of his foxy grins._

_Sakura sighed again and shook her head. Until now, he was still trying to pursue his dream. It seemed he wouldn't even _consider_ giving it up at all._

"_Ne, Sakura! Can we promise to each other that?" At the boy's pleading look, Sakura sighed in resignation._

"_Hai, hai! I promise that I'll wait for you here. IF you _do_ leave that is and I highly doubt you'll be allowed to do that at your age," she replied and held up her right little finger. When Naruto saw this, he pouted and crossed his arms._

"_What! A girly 'pinky promise'! That's too lame Saku—"_

_BAM! A whiskered face hit the floor. Hard._

"_ITTE!" Naruto quickly sat up while rubbing his aching cheek and head. "What'd you do that for!"_

_The other unclenched her fist and pouted indignantly. _"You're_ the one asking me to promise and when I finally agree, you complain about the way _I _want to do it! If you don't like it, then let's not make a promise at all!" Sakura turned away from Naruto._

"_Geez…alright then! Let's just get this over with!" The blonde reluctantly stuck out his right little finger in front of him. Sakura turned back and linked her finger with his._

_They looked at each other then said together, "I promise."_

Sakura laughed a bit at the memory that played in her mind before sighing again. Had she only known that day…she would have…

The twelve year old girl shook her head furiously. No, she shouldn't be thinking about that now! Tomorrow was the day she was to be tested to become a genin and she was supposed to be training but wasn't. Besides that it was already becoming late. She should probably go home now. She put the necklace she was holding back on and left the Hokage monument.

* * *

All of the students in the classroom seemed to be nerve-racked. Who wouldn't be anyway if they were to take such an important test that could change their lives forever? A bit over dramatic as it might sound, it _was_ the truth. If they pass, they finally graduate from the Academy and live as 'official' genins. If not…well they'll just have to be sorry. They might as well have to wait for another year in that boring place.

"Oi, Shikamaru!"

Well, then again, not really all of them were _that_ nervous.

One of the students who was on one side of the classroom, Akimichi Chouji turned to the black-haired boy beside him. The said boy, Nara Shikamaru, looked up at Chouji, who kept on munching on his chips.

"What kind of test do you think we have to do? I hope it won't take until lunch though…I'm getting hungry…" Chouji continued to eat, even as a figure went near him. The person then suddenly smacked him on the head.

"OW! Whaddya do that for Ino!" the boy spat at the blonde haired girl that had hit him. Ino only glared at him though and also spat at him.

"Is all you think about really just food! Geez…If you really keep on getting fat, no girl will really like you…" Ino crossed her arms, still glaring at Chouji. Suddenly, she turned to Shikamaru who was sitting still, looking bored as usual.

"And you! You're still lazy as ever!" Ino exclaimed before storming off, still looking angry. When she had left, Shikamaru only turned to look at the window while Chouji went back to eating.

"Ah…girls are so troublesome…"

Chouji could only nod at Shikamaru's statement as they both saw Ino and her now enemy, Haruno Sakura, having another glaring contest, probably to see who would melt first in each other's gazes. It would seem they were both holding up though, seeing as their stares were still kept as hatred-filled as ever.

Chouji and Shikamaru heaved similar exasperated sighs before they turned back to what they were doing before: eating more junk food and looking at the clouds outside the window respectively.

* * *

To say that Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura were just enemies would be an understatement. No, they were _rivals._ One could even go on and say they were _eternal_ rivals. But no one would really dare say that. Especially when the two were currently looking as if they could kill each other on the spot. So everyone else just kept quiet, staring at the two who were now ranting. Albeit, in very ear-splitting volumes as well.

"NANI! I SWEAR YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE HIM! NEVER!"

"YOU THINK SO! _YOU_ CAN'T EVEN GET CLOSER THAN FIVE FEET OF HIM!"

"LOOK WHO'S TALKING! As if you can even bring yourself to go near—"

"Alright, cut that out." Their teacher, Iruka, had arrived, looking as strict as ever. "Get back to your seats. Now."

The students scrambled back to their seats as Iruka made his way to his desk. Ino and Sakura both stuck out their tongues at each other before going to their own places, obviously being as far away from each other yet as near as they could with the one they were fighting over. The silent guy didn't even acknowledge their presence at the desks by his sides. At that, Ino and Sakura shot each other glares again before turning to their sensei.

Iruka could only sigh and shake his head at his students' usual antics. He turned back to them and started to talk in a serious tone.

"Today is an important day. This is the day that you're all going to be tested to become genin. When your name is called, you will come to the room behind this door," he gestured at the door behind him before continuing. "And perform the techniques I ask you to do." The chuunin surveyed the reactions of the occupants of the room. Most were surprised, some became even more nervous, and a few remained silent, not showing any expressions.

Sakura suddenly raised up a hand. Iruka nodded to her and she asked, "What techniques will we be performing? So far, we've only been taught a few…" Again, the chuunin nodded to her.

"Yes, I was getting to that." He raised his hand to Sakura again as she prompted to ask another question. "You will have to do only two of the jutsus you have been taught, namely Henge and Bunshin no jutsu. You are to use Henge to turn into an image of me and afterwards, you are to create three clones of yourself using Bunshin no jutsu. Have I made myself clear?" Iruka glanced at his students who had muttered reluctant positive replies.

"Good. Let's begin then…"

* * *

"Come on, Ero-sennin! Hurry up! We're almost there!"

The enthusiastic boy paused, waiting for his older companion to catch up with him. When the old man had come up to him, the man hit him on the head suddenly.

The blonde boy let out a cry. "OW! Darn Ero-sennin! What was that for!" He turned furiously to the 'perverted hermit' and glared pointedly.

"Idiot! I'm supposed to be the one leading yet you go ahead of me, almost not even hesitating to leave your own sensei! What kind of apprentice are you supposed to be?" The man crossed his arms and continued on the path. He had long white hair and wore a strange outfit. Besides using sandals, the man had two red lines running down his cheeks and looked like he was already in his fifties, from his appearance.

The younger one only stuck out his tongue to his retreating form. "Well I can't help it if you're tired because we had to run out of that village we were in before just because of your stupid 'research'! You almost got caught there by those enraged women! I'd say you really _should_ have been caught…when Tsunade-baachan finds out about this…" The blue-eyed boy trailed off after passing the older man that had stop in his tracks from having heard his remarks.

Suddenly, the old man appeared before the boy, making him stop to a halt. "You won't tell her, will you?" he asked in a pleading tone. "You won't do that to your poor old sensei, will you?"

'_**I swear he's sounding more and more pathetic every time…And he's supposed to be the one who taught the one who sealed me?'**_

The blonde's expression became an amused one when he heard his 'tenant's' snide remark.

'_Heh…You know, he's got the right to be afraid of Tsunade-sensei. After all, she did make him immobile for…how long was that again? A whole week?'_

'**_It must have been longer. I don't remember you having to tell him off for almost half a month about his…habits. And he didn't even _dare_ go near _that_ place…'_**

'_Yeah…makes me thankful now that I'm on her good side…at the very least.'_

'_**You got a point there, kit. I should remind you if ever you're getting her on the edge…'**_

'_Oh? What's this? Is the great Kyuubi afraid of an elderly woman? Hm?'_

'_**Shut it, gaki, or I'll make you think facing the wrath of an angry woman would be an easy task…'**_

'_Right…'_ The blonde smirked at the beast's threat. After cutting off his conversation with the fox, he looked back at the now kneeling Sannin before him. He tried his best to hide the laughter in his voice as he spoke.

"Don't worry Ero-sennin! I won't tell her…"

The old man looked relieved and heaved a sigh, not even minding the name he was called. "That's good to hear then…" He started to follow the young blond boy that had already gone before him. He barely had time to administer in his mind the single word the younger had muttered before hurrying away.

"…yet…" Silence ensued for a few moments as the Sannin froze for the second time. The poor man could only call after the blonde before going after him…

"NARUTO!"

* * *

Sakura was excited. They were going to distribute them to their genin teams. She was silently wishing her crush, the one and only Uchiha, would be in her team. Although besides praying, Sakura kept her glare at her once-a-friend-turned-rival, Ino-_pig._

Sakura stopped glaring all at once as their teacher entered and started a speech. She hung on to every single word Iruka said…

"…a shinobi should always keep in mind the importance of the mission. The mission should be completed unless there is a grave reason as not to do so…"

Iruka's speech went on for eight minutes before Sakura's mind started to wander off. He was now discussing along the lines of…

"…doing honor to your village and country. We cannot avoid the fact that some might lose their lives in the process of doing their job…"

However, the pink-haired girl couldn't seem to be able to register in her mind that losing her life was something highly possible to happen. Sakura had been glancing at her crush for a few seconds before turning away. And, she had repeated this action for numerous times already. By the time the chuunin's speech was coming to a close though, she had turned her attention back to Iruka.

"…you all good luck and I hope you will do your best to make Konoha proud."

At this, Sakura sat straight and looked directly at the teacher. That was after she threw her crush another glance and glared again at Ino though. Iruka now started to call out the names of the students who were part of the first team.

Team after team was called out and still, Sakura wasn't being called. Nor was Sasuke. She was inwardly cheering when Yamanaka Ino was called out to be with Akimichi Chouji and Nara Shikamaru. Her childhood friend had scowled at her before she had left with her team. As Iruka called out the teams, a jounin would come to get the team he or she was to be the instructor of. Also, throughout the chuunin's calling out of the teams, Sakura noticed that he had skipped a team number after glancing around when Team Six had been called out. Team number seven was yet to be called. Why the team hadn't been called was beyond her though.

After three more went out, she realized only she and Sasuke were left and was overjoyed. She went out of her trance though when Iruka started talking again.

"Alright then. Team Seven's members would be Haruno Sakura…" The pink-haired girl sat up straight at this.

"Uchiha Sasuke…" The Uchiha only looked away.

"And…" The chuunin looked around, as if looking for someone. Not seeing what he was expecting, he wondered. "Eh? He's not here yet? I thought they would've arrived already by now…"

Iruka sighed, yet again, and looked at the two new teammates. The look of puzzlement was obvious on Sakura's features and Sasuke seemed to only barely manage to conceal his curiousness.

"Iruka-sensei, who and where _is_ this last member?" Sakura asked, a bit annoyed now that their last teammate had yet to show up. Wasn't it that being on time was important to being a ninja? This…whoever this teammate would be surely was going to experience a beating from his new female comrade.

Iruka sighed again. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll be here just about—"

POOF!

"—now…" The chuunin pointedly glared at the blonde who had just arrived. The boy, noticing this, scratched his head with a nervous laugh.

"Hehe…gomen, Iruka-sensei! I had to get Ero-sennin away from the bath house, _again._ He kept on saying he wasn't able to do his so-called 'research' because of his training me! Could you believe that! Who would've thought someone like him was the Sannin who trained the Yondaime?" the blonde rambled, looking annoyed.

Iruka shook his head and sighed again. He was quite glad though, to see him back in Konoha. It had been quite a long time. He turned back to the two other graduates who were now standing in shock.

"Alright, Team Seven, this is your third member—"

"Uzumaki Naruto, at your service!" The cheerful boy gave them a foxy grin, holding a thumbs-up sign.

* * *

つづく

* * *

_Gah! It's shorter than before! Drat…Wish I could've inserted a few more scenes but I wanted to cut it right there. Hehe…but I guess it's not exactly much of a cliffhanger. Geez…darn those exams, I think they drained my brains of the knowledge I had…er…wait. What does knowledge mean again? I swear I'm starting to lose my mind on this…Gah! Never mind! Just…go on with the translations!_

**Translation Notes:**

_Yakusoku ka?-_A promise? ('_yakusoku_' is 'promise', _'ka'_ is a question marker)

_Itte!-_Ouch! (you know, expression of hurt—_physical_ damage)

_Baachan-_grandmother (or in this case, maybe 'old lady' could do…-.-;;)

_Gaki-_brat

_Henge _and _Bunshin no jutsu-_If you do _not_ know about these, I think you might as well search more about Naruto…as in the manga/anime.

_Gomen-_Sorry

* * *

**Review Responses:**

**Kawaiiyuzumichan**-Hehe…don't worry, no need to hurry on that one. I mean, come on! I didn't even give you anything for your birthday last April! Ah…I know you do. Be careful anyways and hope you're doing fine as always!

**Annika**-Yes, it was his birthday and it _was_ a good thing we didn't have classes. Thanks for the compliment by the way…:D

**Obitakuleht**-Yes, I know you're Crystel…Hehe…I hope to talk to you again soon!

**This Guy 222**-Thanks! Glad you liked it! ;)

**Madnarutofan**-Friendship into love? Hehe…Thanks for the compliment! Hope you keep on reading!

**Joekool**-NaruSaku? It seems a lot like that but then again…Continue reading and let's see if you still think this will be a NaruSaku fic! Hehe…

And to all others that reviewed (if there really were any others), loads of thanks!

* * *

_Pakisabi na lang na mahal ko s'ya, di na baling may mahal s'yang iba…Gah! I hear this song playing first thing in the morning and it gets stuck on my head for the rest of the day…I really am becoming mad. I swear, having just read the story **"Promise of a Lifetime"** by **cryogenesis **makes me really want to squeal! WAAAAH! It's just so touching! Try reading it and you'll see what I mean! Well, I ought to be heading off now. Please review! Take care! Ja, mata ne!_

_**Chapter posted on October 15, 2005.**_

_Milky Étoile ;)_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Ei peeps! Here I am, finally back on track! Phew! This sure took me longer than I expected! I think I'll have to blame those practices that just makes my whole body ache for more than two weeks…Geez…and those exams too! They could've fried my brains if they wanted to! Darn…At least now it's Christmas break! As short as that may be, I should be thankful we even have a break! Ah well. I shouldn't dwell on things like that, should I? Anyhow, thanks to all of you who took the time and reviewed! Yes, even _you_ Annika-_chan_…Although I'll have to thank you again! You're taking the time and effort just to give me a gift and here I am, just breaking it! sniff Gomen! Thanks again!

Well, 'nuff said on that, I should go on to the chapter. Thanks again!

**Disclaimer:** Obviously not mine! Everything belongs to Kishimoto Masaki-san! And I will really have to praise that creator for making such a wonderful character in the form of NARUTO! Waah! Well, if I did own it though, I'd have made Sakura end up with the one who truly deserves her love! Wahahaha! Ehem! Enough about that, let's just move on…

"Talking"

_'Thinking' (_'Inner Sakura')

**_'Kyuubi talking'_ **

**

* * *

**

_"Count that day lost, whose low descending sun views from thy hand no worthy action done." _

_-Charles Staford _

* * *

**I'll Be Home**

_By Milky Étoile_

* * *

**Chapter Three **

_**Flashy Entrances and Lousy Introductions! **_

**

* * *

**

To say that a certain pink haired girl was shocked would be one of the greatest understatements one could say after having seen that expression on her face.

Sakura was lost for words. She couldn't decide on what to do. She didn't _know_ what to do. She didn't know if she should just ignore the guy or glomp him until he was choked to death. Although her mind (or rather her inner self) had another idea.

'Beat him 'til he's dead!'

However, as much as that idea pleased her, she tried to think more rationally.

If she were to glomp him, the other two, being Sasuke and Iruka-sensei, might get the wrong idea of her show of affection.

"Ah! Naruto! You're back, how have you been?" Maybe acting casually and try to be on a safe ground would do best. For now. She'll get her answers later on…

The blonde haired boy smiled back at her. "Been fine as always, Sakura-chan! Although traveling with a pervert isn't exactly something I had hoped for." Naruto seemed to have twitched, only to stop after being hit on the head all of a sudden.

"ITTE!" The blonde boy looked up to see the only chuunin in the room 'coughing' and glaring at him because of the rude and uncalled-for comment.

"He _taught_ you and that's what you do to repay the respected man who could have been doing more important things than teaching a genin!" Iruka spat at him, narrowing his eyes even more at the now nervous Naruto that seemed to have shrunk under his gaze.

The blonde inched away from the somewhat enraged teacher and muttered incoherently under his breath about how perverted men didn't even deserve the least respect. The volume of his voice was enough to be heard by the room's current occupants though.

Sakura tried not to giggle at her friend's antics. He didn't seem to have even changed much except for the slight physical changes. She was a bit curious though. Wasn't he with that so-called 'great legendary sannin'? If he really was, then that would mean…

"The great Jiraiya-sama is a pervert?" As frank as the question might have been, it was the only one Sakura could think of at the moment.

After hearing that sudden question, it seemed that the other occupants of the room could only blink at her. And almost as sudden as the silence had come, the question, after being digested by the others, earned a grim look from their now former teacher and still a rather stony expression from her black haired teammate. That question should really be answered positively. Of course, Sakura's display of logic, as simple as it might have been, was very plausible.

Naruto, however, could only grin sheepishly and scratch the back of his head nervously, and tried to think of a way to change the subject, not wishing that the aforementioned sannin would hear the rain of insults he had started. He didn't want Jiraiya to hear that. Although that was just because it was included in the conditions the sannin had always given him when he was to learn a new jutsu that Naruto was to not badmouth him until he was to be taught how to do it. Apparently, Jiraiya had yet to teach him the new technique and he was obviously not going to for a while. And Naruto surely wanted to learn how to do the Karyuu Endan more properly.

The blonde haired boy turned his attention back to the others.

"Well, you see…it's quite a long story. But I promise I'll tell you later. Now, our jounin sensei is supposed to come, ne?"

Sakura reluctantly gave in. "Yes, our new instructor should be coming any minute now…"

The black haired member of the new Team Seven glanced at the clock on one side of the classroom. Okay…fifteen minutes since they should have been called out. Their instructor must've been caught up with some business then…

"Oh you just hope so…I highly doubt he'll arrive any minute now…" the oldest of the lot said to himself. Iruka crossed his arms and had a disapproving look on his features as if a student had disappointed him.

Well, that sure wasn't very encouraging for a start. Maybe waiting wouldn't hurt them…

* * *

"Agh! What's taking him so long! I would accept it if he were thirty minutes late but TWO HOURS IS INSANE!"

Sakura could only sigh at her blonde teammate's behavior. At least that hadn't changed in him. It made her wonder now who influenced both her and Naruto with their, erm, loudmouthed-ness. Ah well.

The surviving Uchiha watched amusedly as his new teammate continued to pace on the platform by the blackboard while muttering words he could barely catch. Naruto was obviously not so patient.

That was contrary to what he thought before as the blonde was quiet for the first hour of their waiting, reading off a scroll that didn't seem to have a title. After that hour, their green-eyed teammate tried to strike a conversation with the whiskered blonde, asking questions that were answered with vague replies. When Sakura had given up (now _she_ had to be patient, trying to pry information for half an hour from a unresponsive guy is NOT easy), Naruto started to walk around the classroom, muttering all the while.

It was when he heard the sudden outburst from Naruto that he thought he wasn't so patient at all. Well, might just mean that he was not that good of a ninja then. An impatient nin tended to act brashly and not even think of the consequences of their actions. But Sasuke decided that he'll just have to see in the future then.

"THAT'S IT! He's going to get it…_whoever he is!_" With that said, Naruto grabbed an eraser by the blackboard and made his way to the door.

"Ano…Naruto-kun, what're you going to do?" Sakura just had to ask, even if she had an idea of what his answer would be.

"Oh? What am I going to do? Weeeeell…Sakura-chan, I'm just going to make sure our new sensei wouldn't forget how being late is NOT supposed to be in a ninja's qualities list…" The blonde smirked as he placed the blackboard eraser by the door, making sure that it when the door was opened, the object would fall straight to the person's head.

Sakura seemed uncertain about his idea but Sasuke now wore a smirk too.

"Demo…wouldn't that be a bit…disrespectful?" the pink-haired genin asked tentatively. Naruto harrumphed at that.

"Hmph! Disrespectful? He's already made my respect for him gone the first hour we waited! He should be thankful I'm not going to make him go through my _usual_ myriad of traps just to pay him back. Besides! If he really IS a good jounin, then he wouldn't be hit by a mere object just like that!" The blonde then made his way to one of the seats with his arms crossed and an indignant expression on his face.

Again, Sakura could only sigh. After glancing at the clock, she noted irritably that they'd been waiting for two and a half hours. It really was unacceptable. She had to agree with Naruto that such lateness was uncalled-for in a shinobi. Well, she couldn't exactly do anything but wait.

And wait.

And wait.

And wait.

Until…

Sakura noticed both Naruto and Sasuke suddenly become tense and sat up straight at the same time, averting their gazes towards the door. The pink-haired genin then also turned to face the slowly opening door to reveal…

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was not your average jounin. 

Of course he wasn't. He'd already become chuunin even before reaching fifteen. After that, he'd become an ANBU team captain. At that time he'd already made it to jounin rank easily. And to top that off, he was also known as the Yondaime Hokage's prized student during and after his genin days, not to mention, one of the leader's good companions as well.

Of course, that didn't end at that. He was also well-known among the high-ranking nin as the 'Copy-cat Ninja,' famous for the over-a-thousand jutsus he had learnt. Or rather, copied with the Sharingan he had in his other eye. But only few really knew it was because of the Sharingan.

Of course, besides that, he was known to have never passed any genin team that made their way to him. Zero percent of passing rate. The others just presumed he was giving them such a hard ordeal.

Of course, all that made him one of those classified under the 'elite jounin' list. And that was beside the fact that the masked jounin's cool attitude made him famous in the village's female population.

But _of course_, that might as well be put down if the whole of that population found out that he was actually the biggest fan of the most perverted material that can ever exist.

_Yes,_ of _course_ that _material_ would be the book series entitled 'Icha Icha Paradise'. Written by none other than the Toad Sannin Jiraiya, its cover colored a bright orange tint. It was the escape from boredom of all male ninja from their extremely boring missions and the comfort of the heart-broken. With all of its perverted words, scenes, pages, all of the readers' boredom, problems and pains seem to melt into no more than…a girlish giggle.

Yes, a very _girlish_ giggle. As hard it may be to fathom for such people of the male populace be reduced to doing something so…_unmanly,_ it was true.

And alas! One of these men was the famous lazy-looking nin, Hatake Kakashi. It might have been a shame!

But of course, it wasn't. Even though not many people…alright. Even though _many_ people knew of his attachment to the cursed little orange pocket book, he was still very much respected.

But of course, that was when he wasn't reading the said cursed little orange pocket book. And this wasn't one of those rare times he didn't read the aforementioned cursed little orange pocket book.

As a matter of fact, Kakashi was walking down the hallways of the Ninja Academy nonchalantly with the said cursed little orange pocket book in front of his mostly-masked face. He was going to fetch his newly assigned genin team from the classroom they were waiting.

And, _of course_ he knew he was already _two and a half long grueling hours late_. That was because he figured that since they would have to be with him for some time, they would have to get to know his _little_ habit. That was, of course, if they ever pass his insane test.

Either way, he had spent half an hour speaking with the Sandaime about the members of the team he had just been assigned to. He had found out very well that one of his new pupils was the current apprentice of his idolized author. Which meant that this _idolized_ author was currently in the vicinity. Which, of course, drove him to go looking for the said author, but not after digging for the newest issue of the cursed orange book in the nearest bookstore. He'd hope to let the author sign it but it seemed luck was not with him as he was unable to find Jiraiya in the nearby bath houses, as he had expected him to be.

Ah well. He might as well just take the chance of asking his new student.

But he had only decided that two hours after the time he was due to meet his team.

And now, he was walking, albeit rather slowly, towards the classroom where they waited. When he reached the door, he decided to put back the small book in his pouch. One had to at least make a good impression. Yes, even if he'd been two a half hours late.

And so, as he opened the door, he had least expected what might have happened to him. But it surely made him remember never to make his students wait. Ever again.

Although that just slipped his mind shortly afterward…

* * *

A familiar blonde's laughter was echoing in the said classroom. In the middle of the blonde's laughing fit was a loud, "You fell for it!" and his laughter echoing again. 

The room's other seated occupants, namely Sasuke and Sakura, were struggling, trying hard not to laugh. Sasuke was faring up much better than Sakura though as he only had a smirk on his features unlike the other, who was already half sniggering.

They watched as the white smoke cleared, revealing a silver-haired masked man with half of his face covered, his forehead protector covering his left (is that right?) eye like a bandana would to a pirate. The shoulder and chest part of his jounin vest was covered in chalk dust, along with some parts of his black mask. His expression was unreadable but it was clear that he wasn't as pleased as he thought he would be after hearing that he'd finally get to meet his idol.

Naruto's laughter had died when he noted from the man's silver hair, masked face, and covered left eye that this was one of the ninja his sensei had mentioned with high praises. This was none other than the Copy-cat Ninja, Hatake Kakashi. He was frozen on the spot at that.

"No way…Hatake Kakashi? _Our_ jounin instructor?" That was all he could say after his realization.

The jounin only nodded, ignoring the chalk dust that was on his clothes. "I see you've been told who I am." He was quite interested on the reactions of his new students. What he didn't expect, of course, was the blonde suddenly bowing low before him.

"Go-gomen nasai! I really didn't mean to—I mean I—! I mean…I didn't know and—" Naruto bowed even lower (if possible) and said, "I'm really sorry! I won't do it again!"

His other teammates were floored by this. One moment he was laughing at the demise of their new sensei for all he could care and the next bowing low to the said instructor, asking for forgiveness for his mischief. Truly, they didn't know what to make of it. Sasuke and Sakura only stared at the exchange.

"Well…that's alright, really. But…" Naruto looked up as Kakashi trailed off. The blonde noticed that he was looking at him with a bored visible eye.

"My first impression is…" They all looked eagerly at him…

"Not much." The three's expressions fell. "Meet me at the roof in a few minutes." And the silver-haired jounin disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto's shocked expression was suddenly replaced by a look of pain. "ITTE! Mou, Sakura-chan! What did you do that for!" The blonde rubbed his aching head, looking up at Sakura, who had recovered from her previous state of surprise.

"BAKA! You gave our new jounin sensei a bad first impression," Sakura unclenched her fist and made her way to the door to follow Sasuke. The Uchiha had already left the room a few moments ago.

Naruto sighed before making a hand seal and disappearing in a puff of smoke as their new instructor had.

* * *

The first to arrive was that whiskered member of the team he was newly assigned to. The blonde had appeared in a puff of smoke just like how he had, just at the moment he'd gotten his book out of his pouch. 

_'Hmm…He must've been taught by some professional to be able to do a more or less mid-class level of jutsu. Wait. What am I thinking? He _was_ taught by a professional…'_

Most normal genin usually don't even have the slightest idea on how that kind of travel from one place to another worked. Obviously, this young prankster wasn't as normal as other shinobi of his current rank, Kakashi guessed. He had only been vaguely informed of who the members of his newly assigned team would be. Despite the fact that he already knew that this member of the team was under the tutelage of his _idol._

He turned his attention back from his thoughts to his new 'subordinates'. He tried to measure in his mind how they could actually fare up to what they had to endure later on. Or rather, tomorrow.

After a moment, he realized that the blonde seemed to have been scrutinizing him with narrow eyes. He raised his eyebrow at him as if to ask.

That was before the blonde noticed the orange book that was still in his hands.

* * *

When Naruto had arrived on the rooftop, he didn't expect that the silver haired jounin whom he had thought to be one who was highly respected to be reading _that_ book. 

"Please tell me that _book_ isn't what I think it is!" The blonde looked at the jounin in exasperation. When the man put up the front cover for the title to be seen, Naruto seemed to have become horrified all of a sudden.

"No way! I didn't come back to Konoha just to be stuck with another perverted sensei!" he said, now looking as though he'd lost all hope.

At that same time, Sakura and Sasuke chose to arrive, now wearing curious looks. Kakashi, however, only raised an eyebrow at the blonde before _seeming_ to have _just _recalled something.

"Ah…that's right…You were with Jiraiya-sama for what? Two years?" the silver haired jounin asked, putting away his book.

"Three," Naruto corrected bitterly. "I've been with that perverted so-called 'Greatest Toad Sannin' for _three long years!_ And I'm thankful enough that none of his…habits rubbed off on me!"

"Hm…funny…I was sure he might have gotten some things in your head…" Kakashi looked away, seemingly to avoid the boy's gaze.

"'Some things'!" Naruto looked at the instructor incredulously. "There's no way in hell that I'll be like that—that _abomination!_ I'll be like my dad who's a lot more decent, respectable and most of all, _not a—"_

"Pervert?" the jounin cut him off, brushing off his own wonder on how Naruto had found out about his father. "How can you be so sure he didn't become like Jiraiya-sama? After all, he was his apprentice."

"Argh! I'll get you for that! Just you wait…" Naruto crossed his arms and sat on the floor (this is the rooftop). As Sakura and Sasuke went near, they heard him muttering along the lines of, "helping Gai-san," and "ripping that darn mask off you…" What that was all about was beyond them.

A smile was hidden beneath his mask as Kakashi turned to them. "Now, I think we should start with the introductions. Say your name, your likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future, something of the sort."

"Ano…" Sakura started, finally having the courage to speak but still hesitantly. "Why don't you start? To give us an example?"

"Alright then. My name is Hatake Kakashi and I have no intention to tell you my likes and dislikes. As for my dreams for the future……Well, I have a lot of hobbies…but they are of no importance to you…"

The others waited for him to finish, but apparently, he wasn't going to say anything else than that.

"Oh they will be…if I _ever_ find out you've got the same hobbies as _him_, I swear I'll make sure you won't be able to read that damn book _ever again_…" the only blonde muttered, more to himself than to anybody, but they heard him still.

"Nice knowing your name, Kakashi-_sensei_…thank you very much…" Naruto said out loud. "Although I would've thought that your likes were _little orange books_ and that you disliked waiting for the next issue of the said _little orange book_ to be out, just like all those others addicted to the stupid _little orange book_. And your hobbies might as well be reading the aforementioned _little orange book._ Your dreams? I could only guess it has something to do with collecting all those _little orange books_…"

They turned to see Naruto, no longer wearing that pout on his face but now glaring at the jounin. The beast inside Naruto started to erupt in laughter for the second time (the first being when the jounin went through the 'blackboard eraser prank' before). The sound Kyuubi was producing was echoing through the walls of his mind. Naruto only smirked at that and turned his attention back to the outside world.

The blonde turned to look at Kakashi after a moment and added, "Oh, and is that some genjutsu you're using? You must be quite exceptional at genjutsus. After all, hiding all that white stuff that was on you some minutes ago isn't really the easiest task one could do. I added a bit of my long-lasting, sticking-onto-clothes paint chips in that. I had to bargain for that in the prank shop in Wind Country for that…"

The jounin seemed to have not heard it (or ignored it, a very futile attempt) though and continued, with only a vein seeming to pulse hard on his temples.

"Who wants to go next?" When nobody answered, he said, "You, with the black hair. You start off." The Uchiha only complied.

"Uchiha Sasuke. I like training and I dislike many things, above all, annoying girls and dobes. My dream isn't really a dream. It is my ambition: I wish to kill someone and revive my clan."

A stiff silence ensued for a few moments, leaving everyone else to sink into their own thoughts.

_'To kill…? Who?'_ It made Sakura wonder what kind of person the number one rookie of the year would want to get rid of.

_'Hm…I expected as much…'_ Kakashi kept his cool gaze on Sasuke.

"You better be training harder than you ought to then…or maybe get off from your absurd revenge…"

All heads turned to the source of the voice. Naruto was the only one who dared to disturb the silence, looking as if something that had happened or had been said made him remember a dreadful memory.

"What do you mean by that?" Sasuke spat at him with gritted teeth. Naruto only looked back at him with a calm gaze.

"Nothing. Just saying you should be careful. The life you choose will never be an easy one…" The atmosphere became a tense one until Kakashi decided to continue.

"Alright, you with the pink hair. You're next." He gestured for Sakura to start.

"Ano…Well, I'm Haruno Sakura. My likes are…" She stole a glance at _someone_ and blushed. "…um, I like reading and I hate Ino-_pig_! And um…my dreams are…" She stopped at that, preventing herself from squealing. She still had a tinge of red on her cheeks though.

_'Hm? A girl concentrated on her love life? Ah well…'_ Kakashi only stared at Sakura with a lazy expression.

Naruto's mind was wondering about something else though. _'Eh? The last time I heard, she and Ino were almost like sisters…'_ That sort of thing didn't bother Sasuke though.

"I guess it's my turn then!" Naruto flashed a foxy grin and started talking in a loud voice. "Uzumaki Naruto! I like ramen and my best friend!"

_'Best friend? Who?'_ Did he meet someone new whom he'd become close to? This kind of thing seemed to bother Sakura for some apparent reason. Why though, was a mystery even to her. Maybe it was a tinge of…jealousy? She shrugged off the thought though as Naruto continued.

"…I hate the three-minute wait for ramen to be done and people who keep on discriminating others!"

_'A ramen addict yet one who has a somewhat justified personality. I wonder how that'll fare up for this lot…'_ Kakashi's gaze remained expressionless as the blonde continued on to his last statement…

"My dream is to surpass all the Hokage in their greatness!" With this, Naruto did his 'good-guy pose'.

Sakura sighed and shook her head. _'He hasn't changed…'_

The silver haired jounin though was wondering, yet again. _'Even with the treatment the entire population of the village gave him, he still wishes to be the one to protect this place? Hm…It must be because of his father…'_

"Tch. Hokage? Keep on dreaming then." Sasuke scoffed at Naruto. After all, there's no way that supposedly 'dead-last' would be able to even become even just a bit stronger than him.

The blonde though, unusually kept his cool expression and stared at the Uchiha. "You'll see one day. Maybe by then you won't be so cocky and full of yourself at all," he said with a smirk on his face. Sasuke only glared back at him for a moment before turning away.

_'Hm…will this turn out to be rivalry now? Well, thing might just turn quite interesting though…'_ Kakashi cleared his throat again, causing the others to look back at him.

"Alright, now that that's over with let me tell you what we're supposed to do first as a new _team._"

For some reason, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke couldn't help but feel quite uneasy as the jounin said that. Because as he did, a mischievous glint seemed to have been in his visible eye. Add to that, Kakashi's emphasis on some of the words wasn't exactly helping them feel comfortable under their new instructor's gaze as he seemed to be emitting some sort of intent.

And for the first time, they showed a hint of fear towards their new superior.

* * *

つづく

* * *

_Well, I didn't exactly expect that to turn out like that. And with the title of the chapter too. I've decided to lighten up a little bit. Anyhow, I'm still debating with myself about a certain part so I'll have to leave it there. What? You think that's already a cliffhanger? Ha! Just you wait…you'll see what _real_ cliffhangers are supposed to be…And please not that I've got no translation notes in this chapter. I only used a single Japanese word after all and that was already in my previous notes. I'll just go directly to the responses then. _

**Review Responses: **

**Kitsune0005-**Really? Thanks! Here, one update ready and you must've seen it by now ;)

**Annika-**I'd say it's a good thing you're very much informed on what would be happening to you the next time I see even just a strand of your hair…-glare- _Jamie…_I swear you'll soon see what, ehm, Mon-chan "fears" in me…

**maxhrk****-**chucklesDon't worry!You'll see hints of the pairing soon enough! Hehe...Already said it:D

**BWOLFY**-Alright, it would be NaruSaku...There, I admitted it! Ah well...although expect hints of a bit NaruHina and SasuSaku...the latter being one sided, teehee:D

**Sora-chan** (a.k.a **kawaiiyuzumichan**)-Hey, it's not much of a cliffhanger, is it? Come on…Well, I guess I'll talk to you again! Geez, we haven't seen each other for months! And is Fate just so cruel as to not allow us to meet again on this year's Family Day at school. Fate didn't let us see each other either last year! Whoever Fate may be…Ah well. I'm still glad we had at least the second place. And I swear, teachers get really weird when they get really pleasant and unexpected surprises…I'll tell you later what I mean by that ;) Please leave your new phone number! I seemed to have misplaced my copy…

**Obitakuleht-**Sige na, babasahin ko na rin… sana nga magkausap ulit tayo! Di naman tayo magkakita e! Sa band fest kaya namin, sa tingin mo? That would surely be great! Well, I hope you're doin' fine. I haven't heard from you personally! Sora-chan's the one updating me about you lately…;)

**sara-chan-**Hehe…I'm sorry that wasn't much of a reaction. I'll give you a bit of a hint. Her real reaction would be seen soon in the next chapter or the one after that, hopefully. About the pairing, you'll see soon! I hope this kind of plot would be quite realistic…:D At least somewhat.

**OneWithoutEyes-**I can't believe it! One of my favorite authors reviewing for my story? Whoa…this makes me feel so light inside! Teehee! You like it? Really? Waah...

_Thank you all for reviewing! Hope you keep on doing it:D_

**PLEASE READ: **

**The Link: Snake and Fox**by _Nerva al'Thor (And soon to come: The Link: Sharingan and Diapers...teehee!)_

_-It's one of the best fanfics I've ever stumbled upon. I swear it's really hilarious! Nerva-_neechan _(as I fancy calling her) sure has a great way of surprising the hell out of me with all those sudden events…cringes All creepy yet amusing at the same time! Hats off to you Nerva-neechan! Keep on writing while I keep on boosting your ego…Hehe…;) _

* * *

_Anyway, I guess I'll have to be going then. Hope you liked that chapter! Please review! Reviews pump me up like chocolate does! Heehee! Take care then! I'm off to take in more chocolate! See ya later then! Ciao! _

_**Chapter posted on December 28, 2005. **_

_Milky Étoile ;) _

_P.S. Belated Merry Christmas, Hanukah, or whatever else you might celebrate this season! And advanced Happy New Year to all! Hope you have a nice vacation while I go on a three-day trip to __Hong Kong__! Woohoo! Take care now, mata ne!_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Ei guys! I'm back and ready to jam! Now wait…where'd that come from? Ah well…teehee…anyhow, sorry for the wait! Got caught up in some business…Hong Kong's great! Although maybe I should start learning how to read/write/speak their language there…But I'm still learning Japanese so I'll just try that when I have time…hehe…Anyways, thanks for all the reviews! You sure made me want to continue this all of a sudden! Hehe…well, I won't keep you here so, happy reading and hope you like it:D

**Disclaimer:** Do I really need to say this? Oh please…We all know that Kishimoto Masaki-sama owns all of this…Now, don't make me say it or I'll beat you to a pulp like Sakura does to Naruto! Grr…notice OOC-ness though…o.0

"Talking"

'_Thinking' (_'Inner Sakura')

'_**Kyuubi talking'**_

By the way, in case I didn't mention (which I think I really didn't), Naruto is currently wearing black khaki pants with numerous pockets and the same top he has in the manga, set when they're fifteen, I think? Please correct me if I'm wrong but if I recall it right, you can describe it as an orange jacket with black color on the sleeves and shoulders? I'm not very good at descriptions of appearances so…I'll just say it here. Oh, and there's also a blue spiral symbol at the back of his jacket, okay? Everyone else is wearing the same. Although I wish I could make Hinata's hair longer like in the time frame of the latest manga, don't ya think :D

* * *

"_The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."  
__-Charles Du Bos

* * *

_

**I'll Be Home**

_By Milky Étoile

* * *

_

**Chapter Four**

_**Explanations and Elaborations

* * *

**_

"That's it!"

The blonde genin's deadpanned reactionmade his new comrades flinch. Of course, the jounin wasn't affected and only nodded.

"What!" Naruto groaned loudly in frustration. "We went through all that crap in the Academy just to be prepared for the same stupid survival test! This is INSANE!" He frantically waved his arms in the air, not even caring one bit that he looked like a complete and utter idiot. Well, that was what impatience did to people…craziness, it can cause…

"This test will be different." The statement somehow made their attention go back to him. Even Naruto seemed to have looked at him eagerly.

"How different?" the blonde asked, narrowing his eyes to him.

"Well…" Kakashi trailed off…

"Well what?" Naruto asked irritably.

"You see…"

"See what?" Sasuke seemed to twitch as he asked that.

"You'll have to…"

"We'll have to what!" A vein was already pulsing visibly in Sakura's temples while speaking.

"Wait."

…

…

…

Three pairs of eyes blinked at exactly the same nanosecond. The wind blew as they all stopped speaking. Everything seemed quiet until—

"Say—WHAT!" Three voices—yes, three, with a black-haired Uchiha as well—exclaimed loudly, apparently perturbed at the single word their superior uttered.

Kakashi sighed again. "You'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out."

"What do you mean we'll have to wait until tomorrow?" Sakura narrowed her eyes at him.

"You made us wait for _two_—"

"—and a half—" Sasuke inserted in Naruto's statement.

"—_hours_ and you tell us to wait AGAIN?"

This time, Kakashi had to flinch. Honestly, don't these guys—and girl—know how to speak in _normal_ volumes? He was surely going to have deaf ears after this. Well, they asked for it…

"Actually, I might just tell you now." They looked at him again expectantly, Naruto most eager of them. He had actually heard of something like this from Jiraiya but…it might have slipped his mind.

"Well…" The three genin glared at him, as if daring him to stop.

"Er…you see…" Their gazes intensified so much that it seemed that if looks could kill, Kakashi might as well have been toast.

"You're going to take this test to determine whether you'll be able to make it to the team as official genin."

The wind blew in their faces again and jaws were attempting not to drop in vain.

"You mean we're not real genin YET!" More veins seem to pulse visibly in a pink-haired girl's head.

The black-eyed Uchiha's eyebrows twitched again.

"Then what was the use of all that stupid testing and passing from that stupid Academy? To weed out the _unworthy_!" The team's blonde-haired member looked incredulous.

"…" No one knew what to say to that. And all those other questions as well.

Except Kakashi of course.

"No, you're not yet genin." Sakura looked horrified at Kakashi with his reply.

"You, stop twitching." Sasuke only glared at him, trying not to twitch.

"And yes. The test was to 'weed out the unworthy,' as you so put it." Naruto grimaced at that.

"Now you should all get ready for it. Prepare well and don't eat breakfast if you don't want to throw up." Eyebrows raised at this but no one questioned him further.

"Meet me at the seventh training field near the bridge at 7 am tomorrow. And don't be late." With that said, the silver-haired jounin known as the Copy-Cat Hatake Kakashi poofed out of their sight.

Silence reigned as the three new members of Team 7 got lost in their thoughts…

But we won't go deeper into those.

"So…anyone up for a bowl of ramen?"

* * *

"Waah! I missed your ramen so much, old man! Nothing really beats Ichiraku Ramen! Itadakimasu!" A certain blonde then started _slurping_ down the meal in front of him like there was no tomorrow. Both of his new comrades can only stare at him in half in awe and half in amusement. 

Of course, the two, Sakura and Sasuke, at the moment, had just come to the conclusion that only Naruto would be able to do such a feat. Why, you ask? Only he could eat five bowls of ramen in just a matter of minutes!

"Another bowl of miso ramen, please!"

Yes…only Naruto can eat that much. It made them wonder how large his stomach could be. Although they also thought it might have something to do with the traveling. After all, who knows if he hasn't eaten for days because of being on the road?

"N-naruto! You should slow down a bit before you choke!" Sakura tried to make him eat a bit slower, not even touching her own order since the blonde started eating. Sure, she might have already witnessed this kind of action years before, but it was still a bit unnerving…along with the fact that she actually was able to bear with it for years before…

'_Is this guy insane? He almost acts as if he hadn't eaten inmonths! Is he always like this?'_ And as much as Sasuke tried not to wonder, he couldn't keep even his face from showing a hint of surprise.

"Fon' forry!" Naruto's muffled voice answered, his mouth still occupied by his ramen. "Mmph fush shu fish!" And he continued to eat…and eat…

"Huh!"

The owner of the ramen stand could only laugh at the boy's behavior. "You needn't worry, young girl! I think you've already seen how he's managed to eat like this for the past years!"

His daughter, Ayame, then turned to Naruto and handed him another bowl. "Here's your next serving! Eat as much as you like!"

"Arigatou Ayame-chan!" And another serving went straight to his stomach.

"A-ano…Naruto-kun…weren't we supposed to…'get to know each other,' as you put it?" Sakura had finally managed to push her astonishment away and ask. Sasuke too had that indifferent expression on his features again.

"Eh?" The whiskered boy paused in his meal and cocked an eyebrow at Sakura before recalling the real purpose of his invitation to the food establishment. "Oh yeah!" And he gulped down all that was left of his food and put down the bowl before turning back to the two of them.

"Ah! That was so good! Now…" Naruto cleared his throat and put on his usual foxy grin. "You see, I was thinking…we would have to get to know each other better so that we could work more effectively as a team!"

"You've mentioned that already," Sakura said in a flat tone.

"Oh, I did? Ah well!" The blonde shrugged. "What I really mean is so that we should know what the others can and can't do…"

"Yes, we should probably start by telling each other what we are capable of, starting from saying whether we're more adept to taijutsu, ninjutsu or genjustu," the usually quiet Sasuke agreed.

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded in approvement. "He's right! We should even tell each other what techniques we're actually capable of doing!"

"I agree," Sakura finally spoke up, seeing the sense in their suggestions. "That way, we can find out what might be our weaknesses and figure out a way to remedy whatever it is we lack."

All three of them nodded.

"All right then! Who wants to go first?" Naruto inquired enthusiastically.

And that might have just been the beginning of a new friendship in the newly formed Team Seven rookie genin of Konoha. Although that friendship was yet to deepen…

* * *

"Yo!" was the simple greeting of their…not-so-early teacher. It _had_ already been two hours since their appointed time on the seventh training ground. 

"YOU'RE LATE!" was the blunt complaint of two of his students. The third member of the group only glared at him in annoyance. Again.

"Gomen," Kakashi apologized with his smile evident with his upturned visible eye. "I saw a black cat in my way and it didn't want to go—"

"USOTSUKI!" Naruto and Sakura both glared defiantly at their obviously lying instructor while Sasuke had the look that clearly said, 'I'm going to kill you when I have the chance to.'

"I bet you were only looking for Ero-sennin since yesterday and since you _didn't_ find him, you just went to his publisher and asked if he said anything about _Icha Icha's_ next release date!" the current blonde in the team blurted out. "_Didn't you?"_

Naruto had hit the spot there so perfectly that Kakashi almost flinched. Almost.

After regaining his lost composure, he only coughed and said, "I don't think that's any of your business anyway…but now…"

The other three saw his visible eye narrowing dangerously.

But it seemed they were not fazed at all.

In fact, the genin only stared at him with same blank expressions. They even blinked at the same time. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke did it in perfect unison that it seemed they had practiced it.

This made their instructor fake a cough again to cover up his supposed snigger before he spoke again. "Now, as you may recall, we're having a test today. A survival test, right?"

His question was met with blank expressions. Again.

"Erm…anyway, in this test you'll have a 99.99 percent failing rate and if you fail, you're going to have to go back to the Academy!" Kakashi said cheerfully. But again, it seemed this time the genin were unperturbed. He took their silence as a signal to continue.

"Actually, it's only a 66 percent failing rate. Still, failure will be staring at you straight because out of the 27 students that passed from the test at the Academy, only 9 will remain and be called official genin. I think you already know what else you can get from failing this." The silver-haired jounin leaned back on the log that was standing behind him.

"And the objectives and other details of the test?" Sakura asked, her expression changing to an indifferent one from the blank one before.

"Well…" Kakashi pulled something from his pocket and showed two bells tied together by a seemingly easily breakable string. "Each of you will need to get these bells from me before twelve noon." And he sat an alarm clock on one of the logs that were standing in the middle of the field.

"But there are only two bells. How can each of us get one?" Sakura asked, again being the mediator of the group.

This only made the gleam in the jounin's visible eye became more mischievous. "Exactly! Even if you get these bells from me, one of you will still be sent back to the Academy. And whoever does not get a bell will be tied onto these logs behind me and won't be given any lunch!"

The blank expressions from his new team seemed to now perturb Kakashi now…

He coughed again to regain his composure. "Of course, there's still the huge possibility that none of you will pass, so what's the use? Well, in any case, it starts when I say…"

And the hand indicating the seconds reached twelve…

"Go."

And all three of his students went out of sight.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" 

The whiskered blonde sighed for the tenth time in exasperation and looked up at his two companions (who were standing over him as he made drawings). "Yes! I'm quite sure! But in case that we're wrong in our assumption, then I'm the one who won't get one, okay?" he asked his two teammates who had been (thankfully enough) cooperative. Their little meeting the previous day must have done its desired effect…

"But then…" Sakura trailed off, doubting if ever that would be a good idea. Even Sasuke looked somewhat peeved about Naruto's decision.

"Oh come on! It's not as if I'm going to die if I go back to the Academy, you know!" Naruto waved a hand at them indifferently. "In fact, I'll be much safer, ne? Except from boredom, that is…" He got up from sitting on the ground and brushed the dirt off of his black khaki pants. He grinned at the two before extending his arm to them and spoke.

"Well then, everything covered?" The two nodded to him and he continued…

"YOSHI! Dekiru tte ba yo! Team Seven, iku zo!"

Sakura placed her own right hand on top of his and Sasuke followed the suite (albeit a bit reluctantly).

"Akiramenaide! FIGHT!"

And right after three voices chorused, the voices' owners disappeared out of sight in a blur.

* * *

A very…ehm…_perverted_ giggle could be heard in the clearing where three logs currently stood with a certain silver-haired jounin leaned with that aforementioned (please refer to chapter two of this fic for more information) cursed little orange book right in front of his masked face. And as unbelievable it might be, he was still alert _and_ actually wondering what had happened to his students. 

Yes, Hatake Kakashi was actually curious. At the moment, he could say that all three of them were sure hiding their chakra but there was still the little amount he could still feel. After he had used a simple genjutsu on Sakura (who seemed to have really fallen for it), made Sasuke stuck _in_ the ground (literally) and attempted to poke Naruto's behind with a certain…_infamous_ technique (which did succeed anyway, seeing as he got thrown off somewhere in the woods), Kakashi wondered if ever they had actually given up.

Of course, there was a huge possibility that they were just stalling for something…planning maybe?

The thought made him smirk. If that was so, then they might just be the first team ever to be passed by the copy-cat. IF that WAS so…it's still possible that they were trying to formulate plans on their own to be able to get one of the bells for themselves…

But then again, all of a sudden, he was left with nothing to think about as he dodged a kunai that was supposedly aimed for his…behind?

Eh…the weapon hit a tree nearby and it was only then that Kakashi noticed the note that was tied on the kunai's handle. He readied himself for the explosion that was about to come but…instead of a nasty blow…

…there were sounds of firecrackers along with numerous pieces of colored paper falling like streamers would in a party. As the jounin caught one of them, a nerve threatened to pulse visibly as he saw Naruto's messy handwriting saying, "Bet you didn't see that coming, _Kakashi-sensei no hentai!_" with a chibi face of the blonde drawn there, sticking out his tongue.

It was because of this that the copy-cat almost didn't notice the addendum (postscript) written at the bottom.

'_P. S. I advice you duck before you get hit…'_

His eyes widened at that as he realized that it was only a distraction and followed the advice his student had written when he felt very sharp projectiles making their way to him. But then, he didn't have much time to think about the distraction as a right leg was nearing him, attempting to hit him straight in the face. But it didn't work though as Kakashi moved backwards to avoid coming in contact with the said leg.

When the jounin turned towards the owner of the leg, he caught sight of an orange and black blur that reappeared behind him with a kick. Although instead of its desired hit at the back of Kakashi's head, the kick impacted with the jounin's arm as he blocked with the arm that held his precious book.

Of course, Naruto caught sight of this and smirked. Kakashi's visible eye widened as he saw his most important belonging in the hands of his blonde-haired student. He had been too dazed to make even a horrible attempt at retrieving his precious book.

And so now, the silver-haired jounin could only stare in horror as the whiskered genin waved the orange pocket book in front of him with his tongue stuck out at him and spoke in a sing-song voice.

"Hehe! If you want to get it back then you'll have to catch me!" And with that, his student left with only a blur.

When the copy-cat came to his senses, he came to the conclusion of following Naruto (after a moment of shock, stupid, I know). Kakashi went after the blonde, not even caring that this was a test for genins-to-be.

Let them be sent to the hospital after he'd deal with them! To hell with the rules!

There was no more holding back. Playtime was over.

Nobody, as in NOBODY, dares do that to Hatake Kakashi. _No one _dares take his precious _Icha Icha Paradise _from him. No, not even the Sandaime Hokage (although that would be beside the point, seeing as the old man also reads the porn material).

Naruto was going to pay for it dearly…he had interrupted him from reading such a crucial part of the novel…

And to think, the last part he had read was when a couple was about to enter a room for two.

(A/N: Waiii! Gaaaaah….-faint-)

And so now, the chase begins.

* * *

つづく

* * *

_Waaah…So horrible…I swear this is my worst chapter (yet). I don't know what came over me and wrote such a terrible and short chapter. It's not my shortest but I think it's the worst! Gah…must be the stress catching up to me (another comment on that, Jamie, and I'll make sure you don't only _rest_ on the ground but IN it!)…Dang all those requirements…And we still have two more presentations to go! Maybe I should be catching up with my sleep instead of doing this…our classes are suspended after all. Ah well._

**Translation Notes:**

_Itadakimasu!-_Let's eat!; Thanks of the food! (This is said before you eat. That's just it o.O)

_Arigatou-_Thank you (I've mentioned this before! Gaah…)

_name-chan-_a honorific added to a name that is mostly used to show closeness. Sometimes, it is used by school girls to show endearment and…cuteness? (er…am I right in saying that I'm quoting from _Del Rey's _manga? Eep…)

_Ano…eto…-_Uh…er…um…(stuttering in short o.O)

_name-kun-_a honorific added to a name; usually, it is used for boys but some people use it for younger girls as well? (I really need to get hold of one of _Del Rey's_ one of these days…my dictionary doesn't show much elaboration…and I'm not very good at explaining! Ugh…)

_Taijutsu, ninjutsu _and_ genjutsu-_Uh…do you honestly know Naruto well? Just kidding…Correct me if I'm wrong, please (I've already said I'm not very good at explanations):

-_taijutsu-_'Body Art' or 'Art of the Body. It'sgot something to do with physical combating within a close distance, in short, hand-to-hand combat. Although weapons can also be included under these circumstances, even if it is hand-to-hand.

-_ninjutsu-_'Ninja Art' or 'Art of the Ninja'. It's what the ninja ofthe feudal era in Japan practiced, in reality.It basically involves the techniques, tricks and such in Naruto.

-_genjutsu-_Dunno the literal meaning.It deals with illusions and such though.

_Gomen-_Sorry

_Usotsuki!-_Liar! (I dunno if they really say it that way in the Japanese version of the manga/anime…but that's how I translated it!)

_Yoshi!-_Okay! All right! Good! (Those kind…)

_Dekiru tte ba yo!-_We can do this! (In Naruto's cheerful way of saying)

_Iku zo!-_Let's go! (Again, in Naruto's way of speaking)

_Akiramenaide!-_Don't give up!

_Kakashi-sensei no hentai-_Pervert Kakashi-sensei (er…I'm not quite sure but that's how I compared it with others! Hehe…-.-;;)

**Review Responses**

I've decided to just reply to you reviews individually instead of writing them here. It seems to troublesome, seeing as I type this offline and I don't even remember who said what on the reviews (except for a certain annoying former seatmate of mine…). So, if you'd like to find out whatever I said to you, whether to answer a question or just a simple thank you, you can always check out your mail. Except for those who have anonymous reviews. I'm still answering them here!

**Wendy-**Hehe...To be honest, yes, I _am_ a die-hard NaruSaku fan...although I don't really object to any other pairings with Naruto. Although for some reason, I find SasuSaku a _bit_ too much...that's why I'm not fond of the pairing. But anyways, thanks for the review! I'm glad you like it! Though there would be hints, I'm not rushing it...Take care!

Thanks to: **Tombadgerluck, Bahamut Slayer**, **The Dark Kitsune Lord, joecool4, loaned, BWOLFY,tennisdesi91, Wendy, kawaiiyuzumichan, joekool**and even **Annika Ricaforte Lee.**

Thanks for all the reviews! They really helped! Hope you keep on reviewing!Compliments, comments, suggestions, constructive criticism, or even just complete nonsense (-cough-Jamie!-cough-) is allowed! And flames will help me cook our lunch! Hehe...

* * *

_Ja, I'll be leaving it there now! I'll have to go and do my assignments now…Hehe…no classes…teehee! Ah well, no achievement test for today! Yay! I'll just move on and try to come up with some sort of weird plot…or maybe the next chapters…who knows? Maybe I'll get another update up by next week! If my mom permits my use of the internet, that is. Next week is hell week! Hah! The week before the exams…too much to bear! Now I'll just move on. Ja, see you in the next chapter and take care!_

_**This chapter was posted on February 24, 2006. Reposted on March 18, 2006.**_

_Please leave a review before you go! It would be very much appreciated :D_

_Milky going over and out! ;)_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Yo there guys! Am finally back after such a grueling week…phew! I'm sure glad to have that over! But now there's something else to worry about…gah! Why does hell week have to extend itself! Darn these politicians…having to do all of these and the public's not even sure of their reasons…lies, LIES! ALL LIES! –cough- Ahem. Anyhow, sorry for the wait. At least this came earlier than all the others did before. I'm trying to speed things up seeing as how slow I'm progressing with the story. I mean, I haven't even reached the part where I'm going to add my stupid twist into the plot…but in any case, I'm not going further into that. But either way, thanks for all the reviews! They sure pumped me up suddenly! Well, I'll move on now, ne?

**Disclaimer:** All standard disclaimers apply, including character disclaimer and original plot disclaimer (all credited to Masashi Kishimoto-san), craftsmanship disclaimer (what's that?), computer ownership disclaimer, computer table disclaimer, seat disclaimer, house disclaimer, time disclaimer, and even earth disclaimer. But I swear I own my mind! O.O And my Full Metal Alchemist mousepad -.-;; Hey, it's cute:D

* * *

**Clarifications:**

Since somebody asked, I think I ought to mention it.

Naruto has been genin for three years now and has been training with Jiraiya since he graduated. The incident with Mizuki still went on so he found out about Kyuubi that way. They also met Tsunade along the way but she didn't go with them for long. The timeline for this is same as the series.

For any more questions, don't hesitate to ask:D

* * *

"Talking" 

'_Thinking' (_'Inner Sakura')

'_**Kyuubi talking'**_

Well, I'm moving on now. Just look down at the bottom of the chapitre (and no, I did _not_ misspell that, it's French!) for more information and my crazy corner o.O

* * *

"_Whether happiness may come or not, one should try and prepare one's self to do without it."  
__-George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)

* * *

_

**I'll Be Home**

_By Milky Étoile

* * *

_

**Chapter Five**

**_The Only Thing That Matters

* * *

_**

A sudden horrible noise was heard in the midst of three new genin.

Two of them, the black-haired boy and the pink-haired girl, looked at the owner of the growling stomach.

At least Naruto had the decency to blush even just a little from his current position of being tied onto one of the standing logs in the training field. His only female teammate quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Don't tell me you didn't even take your own advice on not skipping breakfast!" she bellowed.

"ITTE!"

Sakura had just followed her loud exclamation with a _soft_ hit on the blonde's head. Which resulted to a lump almost looking like a hill atop of his eternally messy mop of bright-colored hair.

Naruto faked a sniff. "Sakura-chan! What did you do that for!" He looked at the emerald-eyed girl with teary eyes.

"Because!" The pink-haired kunoichi sighed and crossed her arms after putting down her lunch on the ground. "You…" She looked more and more menacing with each pause she took… "are…one…heck…of an…"

Naruto already had his eyes closed, prepared for the impact on his poor figure to come. When he opened his eyes though, he was surprised when Sakura only poked the bridge of his nose and spoke her final word flatly.

"Idiot."

It took the whiskered blonde almost half a minute to realize what the other meant. Sasuke already had a smirk playing on his features as his other male teammate tried to dignify himself (with what pride he had left) by retorting.

"Demo, Sakura-chan! I DID eat! I just got hungry again because of all that action! But I guess I should bear with it…it's my fault after all…" He trailed off, not quite sure of what to say.

(A/N: Wow! He's actually admitting his own faults! Wah…OOC…O.o)

Both Sasuke and Sakura looked at the now pouting Naruto who seemed to keep his gaze from them. Then, the two looked at each other for a moment before Sakura started to untie the blonde's bindings while Sasuke seemed to scan the surroundings for a brief moment.

This certainly startled the demon vessel and he was left wordless for a few moments. It was when both of his new teammates pushed their lunch boxes into his hands at the same time that he found his voice.

"Are you…are you sure about this? I mean, you two might be brought back to the Academy for not following our sensei's order!"

Sakura seemed to be trying to find the right words to say at the moment. Was she even sure about this? This could all change his career as a kunoichi and might ruin his chance for being with the one she liked! Now wait…why'd she think of that? And who was it she liked again? Hmm…

"Consider it a payback, dobe. And besides, I don't need a teammate who'll just pull us back because of an insignificant reason." Sasuke crossed his arms and looked away.

"You really mean this?" Naruto looked at the two with a still doubtful expression.

Sakura then rolled her eyes for the how-many-eth time and spoke in an exasperated voice, finally squishing all uncertainties from her mind.

"Yes, _ano baka._ Just eat fast so we don't get caught." She handed him a pair of chopsticks and looked away as well.

"I don't sense him anywhere so it's safe for now," the Uchiha added.

Now, as very emotional a person Naruto may be, sometimes (or often), the blonde being like a certain (or two of them?) green-clad shinobi can be a _bit too much_, if not already, as embarrassing. And it seemed, unfortunately for the other two, he was as expressive as the aforementioned nin (or two) at this certain moment.

"Waah! That's very nice of you!" The whiskered genin now had tears in his eyes and sniffed. "You two are the best teammates a guy could ever have!" And he pulled both in a sort of…_embrace_ with Sakura's neck held by his left arm and Sasuke's by his right.

Let's not forget to mention that he now practically had waterfalls (or rain storm, whichever you prefer) pouring from his eyes and the screen might have been flooded, were it not for the fact that they were in an open field AND that this is actually just a fanfic and you're just reading this off a computer or some paper if ever you (the reader) bothered to print/write this on one.

Now, of course, his comrades were surprised, embarrassed and peeved at this sudden action and weird reaction.

It was evident, really, that they were astounded.

Sakura had gone from pale to bright red—the perfect imitation of a very ripe tomato—in a matter of milliseconds. Exaggeration, it might be, but I needed the distraction, so you got any complaints?

Ahem. Anyway, even Sasuke now had a quite peculiar look along with a small red tinge on his cheeks.

It took the pink-haired genin a moment to compose herself after trying to force herself not to blush (and failing miserably at the attempt) because of either embarrassment or the close proximity between her and the whiskered blonde (it was a bit unclear whether it was the former or the latter).

"O-oi! Naruto, would you just let go of us and eat already?" Sakura said with exasperation evident in her voice.

This made Naruto release the two promptly and scratch the back of his head sheepishly with a slight blush.

"Go-gomen! J-ja…" He took one of the lunch boxes and lifted up the pair of chopsticks Sakura gave him. The other two only turned to the opposite directions of the blonde.

"Itadakimasu!" And Naruto filled his mouth with food…

* * *

Never in his life did Hatake Kakashi meet such a weird bunch of kids their age as a genin team. 

No, of course he never did.

None of the teams he was ever assigned to had such a weird combination of people, let alone _kids_ that counted a seemingly overly optimistic boy, a seemingly pessimistic one and a seemingly doubtful girl.

Nor did his previously assigned teams ever get this far from his tests.

Of course, if they didn't get as far then they never even thought of the real purpose of the test. Which in turn meant that they never passed his test.

But most of all, there was not a _single_ genin, nor any other person for that matter, has ever been able to get a hold of _his_ copy of the only best-selling novel in Konohagakure no Sato and of other villages as well.

_No one_ even attempts to lay a _single finger_ on his _Icha Icha Paradise_ volumes.

Not one soul has been able to do that. Not even the current strongest nin in the Hidden Leaf, the Sandaime Hokage. Although it was most likely that he would just wait for his former student to give him his first copy or have someone buy it for him when it would be published.

Then the two of them could happily chat about certain happenings in the book. That would be in private obviously due to the fact that it wouldn't be a good example from such respectable people…

…besides that, nobody ever got him to look like a weirdly mutated chicken and very much in the shade of pink…so much that he had to use Henge to actually look like his normal and squeaky clean self…but that's a different case anyways…

Anyhow, going back to the original topic, it seemed that had all changed thanks to the newest generation of Konoha's now Team Seven genin team.

That didn't mean they were that special as a unit now, they still had a lot to work on as a team. But it was a start though. And this silver-haired jounin will have to pass them even if he'd have to endure the torture he hated most from a certain whiskered blonde.

For now though, this author will not delve in deeper into the incidents. For now; it would be too painful fro poor Kakashi.

Anyway, at the moment, the jounin had taken into watching what his new subordinates were doing.

It seemed that this particular bunch of kids were a lot more than just a weird group.

It was almost as if they were a strange team made up of genin that were actually _meant_ to be together, their lives knit together by the thread of fate.

But maybe that would be going too far into describing them.

Still, it seemed so at the moment since the copy-cat had just witnessed maybe one of the most heart-warming scenes he'd ever seen.

Naruto had just practically pulled the other two into an almost neck-breaking hug. Unknowingly.

That wasn't the only thing touching about it.

Sasuke and Sakura, even though both showed evident embarrassment and annoyance to the blonde's sudden action, were just as evidently glad with it.

But it was highly doubtful that they'd admit it right in front of Naruto's face. So they settled with not saying a thing with smiles just in the corners of their lips as the blonde kept on emoting like that student of his so-called rival.

But alas, the moment was short-lived thanks to Sakura, who seemed to have gone back to her senses in a moment. And so, the whiskered genin muttered a short apology as Sasuke fixed the collar of his blue shirt and Sakura straightened her red outfit.

Ah well. At least now, the team's jounin instructor was about to join them…

* * *

Nobody dared to speak…or it might be the opposite… 

"…Ka…Kakashi-se…sensei…" Naruto had frozen from eating.

Nobody dared to blink or move…but I might be sarcastic…

Sakura repeatedly blinked and shook her head to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Nobody dared to make any noise…but I digress in having to say the opposite…

Sasuke almost had to stifle a snort in vain.

Nobody dared to move towards the now obviously pissed off jounin, who now had a stress mark to go with his one-eyed glare (really, it was a funny sight)…but someone did anyway.

"Go-gomen nasai, Kakashi-sensei! I swear I didn't mean to spit the food in my mouth at you face and—" And the blonde covered his mouth and looked at their instructor nervously.

And as tensioned as the air around them might have been, they didn't expect what Kakashi said next.

"I know." And the silver-haired jounin took out a white handkerchief and wiped his face with it. Of course, he also wiped his mask, along with his hair, careful not to take off his mask or his forehead protector. But he also had to wipe the food that came from Naruto's mouth to his newly bought (or made) jounin uniform as well.

"What…what do you mean by, 'I know'!"

Kakashi stopped after finishing his wiping and stared at the three impassively for a moment. Then he pointedly looked at the lunchbox that was still clutched in Naruto's hands in his _untied_ state.

Naruto must have noticed it, seeing as he immediately pushed the food container into Sakura's hand and hurriedly tried to come up with some lame excuse.

"I-it's not their fault, sensei! I was the one who forced them to untie me and give me their—"

"You pass."

"—foo—WHAT! " Naruto exclaimed, obviously surprised at the sudden declaration.

"You. All. Pass." Kakashi stressed each word with a hint of amusement as he turned around and braced himself for the expected outburst.

'_Three…two…one…'_

…

But it never came.

So, he decided to look back at his team…

"YATTA!" Naruto jumped in excitement.

"We did it! Sakur hopped around a few times as well.

Sasuke just had another smirk on his features.

Kakashi just had to turn at the right moment, ne?

Still, that might have been a good thing…

"Gomen!"

"Warui!"

…because he just saw one of the sweetest scened that he might actually witness.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to—I mean , I was just…"

"D-don't worry! It was partly my fault anyways!"

And they lapsed into silence…until Kakashi decided to break it rather cheerfully.

"So…you all pass! Isn't it great? Now, we'll meet by the bridge nearby same time tomorrow morning and we'll have a real mission. Ja, I'll see you then, I'm going to be late with my meeting with the Hokage." And the silver-haired jounin walked away, taking out his newly retrieved Icha Icha Paradise from his equipment pouch as he did.

Naruto had his eyes narrowed at the sight of Kakashi's retreating back (no doubt, the jounin noticed but he tried to ignore it). "He probably wouldn't mind one bit about being late anyway…" he muttered to himself as he crossed his arms and pondered on random thoughts.

A clearing of throat snapped the blonde back to reality as Sakura turned to him. "Well, we'd best be going. There's nothing to do here…" she trailed off, debating with herself whether to confront him now or not (she still hadn't asked about his sudden training years back).

'_He might think not want to say it…after all, if he would've wanted to, he would've told me already, wouldn't he?'_

'It's not a matter of him wanting to say it or not! That idiot's gone all of a sudden without even saying goodbye, he'll have to be given a lesson he'll never forget!' her inner self chimed in rather aggressively. And yes, she _was_ debating with herself. Literally.

'_Still…'_

But she was spared the liberty of thinking of a retort to her inner personality as Naruto waved a hand in front of her.

"Ne, Sakura-chan! Daijoubu ka?" His face was scrunched up in worry, his eyes shining with concern. Sakura blushed at this.

'_He's worried about me?'_

"I-iie! I'm all right…" she replied, very much like a certain Hyuuga heiress did.

Naruto heaved a sigh of relief and put up one of his foxy grins. "Yokatta! I was worried you might be sick or something." This made Sakura earn a deeper shade of crimson, which the blonde seemed oblivious to.

"Anyway, Sasuke-teme already left. Said he had some traini—OW! Sakura-chan, whaddya do that for!" He rubbed his newly acquired lump on the head with a pout.

"Mou! Don't call Sasuke-kun that! You got me!" With Sakura suddenly towering over Naruto, it seemed that she was forcing him and not simply asking.

"Ha-hai! G-gomen! I won't call him that anymore!" And the blonde just couldn't say no to that. He did value his life after all.

"That's good to hear then! Ja, shall we go now?" The pink-haired kunoichi's voice was too sweet for comfort.

"Eh? Doko?"

"DON'T ASK! Just follow as I say!" she almost shouted. Actually, it _was_ a shout but it wasn't a real one in the kunoichi's standards.

"Hai!" Naruto stiffened at his teammate's attitude. And here he thought she'd have gotten rid of that bossy behavior.

"Follow me!" Sakura started to walk towards the streets of Konoha.

It made the blonde smile to think of it.

"Yes ma'am!" Naruto quickly followed his childhood friend and walked beside her.

It was what must have kept them together.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, let's go to Ichiraku's! I'm hungry for more ramen!"

The things that don't change even as everything else did…

Sakura sighed but still smiled. "All right, but it's your treat, got it?"

…they didn't just keep them together, they made them closer…

"Sure!" Naruto grinned mischievously and ran a bit ahead of her before saying loudly, "Sakura-chan's going on a date with me!"

…And both of them knew it…

The emerald-eyed kunoichi turned red for like the hundredth time that day as she furiously ran after him with threats. "BAKA! Who says this was a date?" Naruto only chuckled as he tried to escape the enraged Sakura.

"Oi, come back here!" Sakura continued to chase the blonde down the streets with not an evil smirk that only appears on someone's features as one plots his or her revenge. No, it was a genuine smile. And Naruto had an equally true smile.

…And that was all that mattered for now…

* * *

つづく

* * *

_Wai! I actually ended it there! I know, crappy chapter _again_. At least now it's not a cliffhanger. At least I don't think it is anyways. Well, still I guess I updated in a bit shorter time than I did before. Guess it's because of all your reviews, ne? Anyhow, I'm not keeping you here, there's something else you should read on ;)_

**Translation Notes:**

_Itte!-_Ouch! It/That hurts! (or any other cry of pain or something…)

_Demo-_But

_Ano baka-_You idiot (or something like that, even though _ano_ means _that pertaining to far objects_ but I guess it can be used)

_Gomen/Gomen nasai-_Sorry/I'm sorry

_Itadakimasu-_'Let's eat!' or 'Thanks for the food!'; it is said before eating—I still need to research on any literal meanings or backgrounds this expression has.

_Yatta!-_All right! (or insert some other cheer)

_Warui!-_Sorry! My bad! (literally means 'bad' but I've heard from some that it's also used so say sorry quite impolitely o.O)

_Daijoubu ka?-_Are you all right/okay? Are you hurt? (_daijoubu_ meaning _okay, all right, safe_ and _ka_ being a question marker)

_Iie-_No

_Yokatta!-_That's good (to hear)! (can be expression of relief or something)

_Baka!-_Stupid! Idiot! Jerk! (or…you get it, right?)

_Ja-_Well then…; in that case…

_Sasuke-teme-_Sasuke-bastard (or something _that_ insulting—rude, I know but that's how they are to each other o.O)

_Ano kuso-gaki-_That darn brat (I'm not sure that's how you connect _kuso_ (-insert random curse word here-) and _gaki_ ('brat') but that's how I just did it. If somebody could please confirm or negate this, please do! It would be most appreciated:D)

_Hashire-_Run

_Kai-_Release (or something like that, at least that's what they use to release genjutsu…o.O)

_Yare yare-_Oh well (something like it)

_Usuratonkachi-_Dobe (at least I think it means so -.-;; Sasuke just says it to insult Naruto, ah well o.O)

_Omake-_Extra

**Review Responses:**

Well, here's to the only ones who gave an reviews! I didn't get much reviews for my fourth chapter so I'm going to take a longer time replying one by one. 'Sides, I'm a lazy person, what can you do about it?

**master reader**_-_Ano..._oyasumi_ is short for _good night_. _Nasai_ is added to it too, it's used as well with it. I guess it can mean for more respect, or maybe it's just to make it longer. I dunno...I haven't quite studied Japanese as well so it's kind of an experiment to me, adding words and phrases I mean;p I'm learning here!

**loaned-**Yep! Hehe...You'll see as you read on :D Watch out for the enraged Kakashi! Muhahahaha! Ahem.

**Annika-**Haha! You got that right! Weeds...need I say anything to you? Hehe...yes, special mention...Now, I think we'll be happier now that vacation's here, ne? Although I guess it'll mean more work as well. We've got review classes this summer! And more chores...-sigh-Well, you'll be able to see more of Kakashi's torture soon...as long as you read on...oh, and let your otouto read it too, 'kay:D Take care Jamie-chan and see you in Robotics training! If we'll be having them...:D

**kawaiiyuzumichan-**Hehe...yeah, that was fun. Hope you're coming for Ozine this April. It'd be much fun! Drawing contests, karaoke contest, more trivias and raffle draws and most of all COSPLAY! Teehee! Can't wait to see it! Hope you're all right though! You've still got classes while I don't! That's too bad! And I wanted to chat with you this morning. Mou...ah well. Take care anyways. Call if you can! Tell Crystel to call me too! Ja, mata!

**Jarnan-**Hmm...half correct! Naruto has been a genin for 3 years and trained with Jiraiya, yes. They've met Tsunade, it seems so! But it's still in the same timeline as in the start of the series. The Mizuki incident _did_ happen too. Old man's still alive but Tsunade hasn't gone back to Konoha yet. They only met her in their travels :D If you've got anymore questions, do feel free to ask! It's my pleasure to clear all confusions with my silly story! Hehe...Thanks for the review!

**naash-**Hehe...thanks! I'll try to update faster this summer :D

* * *

_Now, I think thatyou might want to know what really went on with Naruto's running from Kakashi, seeing as I started with the blonde already tied on a stump when I ended my previous chapter with the beginning of the jounin's chase. So now, I present to you my first omake! Hope you enjoy my silly randomness!

* * *

_

_Additional legend: **SFX **_(sound effects) like **_Poof!

* * *

_**

**Omake One**

_**Hashire!**_

**_The Chase for Kakashi's Most Important Possession Commences!

* * *

_**

'_Another one!'_

_**Poof!**_

The silver-haired jounin attempted to avoid the next incoming multi-colored round objects that were shooting from all directions. Unfortunately, four exploded at the same time right when they barely hit him.

It seemed the little colored marbles were quite sensitive.

**_Poof!_** A blue marble turned into a puff of smoke as it grazed by a falling leaf.

Yep. It sure was sensitive. One touch by anything, even just a single strand of hair, and you're sure to be surrounded by rainbow-colored smoke that seemed to leave some of the color on the person nearest, on his hair, clothes and even skin.

"Curses…" Kakashi then mumbled a few _colorful_ words…

…which might as well match with his former more-green-than-any-other-color vest and his supposedly very-dark-and-not-so-brightly-colored mask, pants and long-sleeved shirt.

"Nyaha!" The jounin turned and saw a glimpse of yellow-colored streaks.

"You'll have to catch me if you want this back! Hehe!" Naruto waved the orange book before rushing off to escape the apparently now angered copy cat.

"Damn that Naruto…" he muttered under his breath before going off to follow the genin.

But after passing a couple of trees, the blonde was already out of sight.

This was going to be a long pursuit…

* * *

"_Oi, Sasuke-teme! Go for it!"_

"_Hn. Usuratonkachi…"_

"_Hey, I heard that!"

* * *

_

"Oh no…"

_**BAM!**_

A short log hit a tree behind him, barely missing him by a few centimeters.

_**BAM!**_

Kakashi dodged another that seemed to have shot out of nowhere.

_**BAM! BAM! BAM!**_

The jounin's visible eye widened as a larger cylinder-shaped hard piece of wood made its way to hit him squarely on his face. He ducked when the log got closer.

_**Bonk!**_

"Ow…" Kakashi caught the item that hit him from above and it was…

"A heavy twig?" He looked up and then saw more pencil-sized wood that were falling down to him like missiles.

_**Whoosh!**_

The silver-haired jounin jumped away from the spot he was in, almost hit by the falling twigs.

_**BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!**_

A thick smoke covered the ground were the rain of wood fell.

"Phew…that was close…"

_**Boing!**_

"What the—!"

**_Boing!_** An apparently bouncy rainbow-colored ball was bouncing towards him, aiming for his face…

**_Boing!_** The ball rebounded from a random tree and again made for the silver-haired jounin.

**_Boing!_** The round object left seemingly sticky colored marks on the trees it bounced off of…

_**Boing!**_

"Itte!"

…then the ball made a direct hit on his face!

"Score! You did it!" Naruto's voice echoed through the trees as Kakashi stumbled a bit from the impact and held onto his almost-broken nose.

"Ano kuso-gaki…" The jounin then went off to follow the source of the voice.

And so the chase continues!

* * *

"_Sakura-chan! Your turn!"_

"_Hai!"

* * *

_

Now Kakashi was wondering where the blonde might have gotten to. It seemed he was quite skilled to have been able to hide his chakra signature from him. Or maybe he was already out of the jounin's field of sight.

"Kakashi-sensei! Bet you can't catch me!"

The jounin turned to see his target jumping out of sight. Now, how did he miss him like that?

"Come back here!" Kakashi rushed off to follow the blonde.

"No way!" Naruto stuck out his tongue at the jounin and jumped off again but was still in sight this time.

After passing a some trees, Kakashi realized something as he followed the orange-clad blonde.

Previously, he had mostly kept out of sight, only appearing when he taunted him after every trick that came. But now…

'_He can't be luring me somewhere, can he?'_

"Sakura! NOW!"

**_Crack!_** Kakashi's eyes widened as he heard what seemed like a branch snapping and he landed on a branch.

**_Crack!_** Bad choice of a place to land…

_**Snap!**_

"Oh no…"

The branch beneath him snapped and fell off and Kakashi nearly fell had he not grabbed the branch above him. Then again…

**_Snap!_** And the gravity became a bit harder than him.

But just as he was about to move off somewhere to escape his fall from high above the ground, he saw a grinning Naruto a few meters and trees away from him, tying Kakashi's precious book to a branch above him with a very thin string. This made him quickly grab onto a different branch nearby with both hands…

Then…

"Sakura! Sasuke! NOW!"

…two blurs went across him and he suddenly felt that the weight of the bells had gone. He turned his head both to the left then the right and the sight that greeted him was his two other students, smiling and smirking respectively, each holding up a bell.

"Ne…Kakashi-sensei…"

The jounin turned back to the blonde who now had a book hanging right beside him.

"Don't you think you should be hanging onto something sturdier than that?" Naruto gestured to the branch Kakashi was holding on to.

**_Snap!_** And the branch broke!

"Oops! Too late for that!" The whiskered genin put up a hand seal and said, "Kai!"

Kakashi's eyes widened as he looked to where he was about to fall on to.

It was actually…

"Genjutsu!"

…a flowing river!

_**Splash!**_

Kakashi quickly swam to the surface and…

"Hehe! Sensei fell for it!"

…glared his one-eyed glare at his blonde grinning subordinate.

"Yare yare! Now, I wonder what to do with this?" Naruto pretended to be thinking before turning to the still hanging book beside him. "Aha! I know! Why don't we burn it?"

Now at this, even his two comrades' eyes widened as Naruto did the hand seals for a fire technique.

And just as he finished the last seal, he felt a strong killing intent directed to him…

"Don't you _dare_ damage my book!"

Naruto turned just in time to see his soaked instructor right beside him with an obviously angry expression on his features.

"Gah!" And the blonde hurried off to escape the enraged jounin who snatched the book from its hanging state. Then Kakashi went after Naruto…

**_Splash!_** Kakashi was then suddenly covered in…pink-colored paint?

"What the—!" It was a good thing the jounin already tucked his book back into his pouch after performing a quick drying jutsu.

"Hehe! No one escapes Konoha's Number One Prankster's shenanigans!" And Naruto rushed off to escape his sensei's wrath.

(A/N: Shenanigans? What the—? O.O)

"Come back here!"

Then…

**_Poof!_** And Kakashi was covered in white…chicken feathers?

More laughter echoed in his ears as Kakashi saw Naruto holding a rope that was tied to a sack where all the feathers that were now stuck to him seemed to have come from.

"Haha! Kakashi-sensei looks like a pink chicken!" The blonde was trying to hold back his laughter in vain and ended up holding his stomach as he let out his mirth in a loud manner.

Then…

Sakura and Sasuke followed and made it just in time to see…

"Ah! Spare me!" A horrified and crouching Naruto who was shielding himself with his arms from…

"After all that? I don't think so!"

…

…

…a very pink-colored jounin who now had a vague semblance to a strange bird who just seemed so evil at the moment.

Sakura and Sasuke looked at each other with equally incredulous looks and dropped jaws as the same thought entered their minds…

'_I must be dreaming...'_

But alas, they weren't in the land of dreams at the moment but in the real realm where they stood stock-still, wondering for all they could how the heck their new jounin instructor looked like a weirdly mutated chicken who was plotting weird ways of torture to the blonde who made him look as such.

* * *

おわり!

-.-;

* * *

_Stupid, I know. But I've got nothing to do, so sue me! No wait, don't sue me. Just…deal with it! Gah! Just say what you want to say in your review, please. I hope you do review. I took all the free time I had from our first three days of vacation just to write this! Well, constructive criticism is always welcome and so are flames. Flames are used to bake my brownies! Yum! Hehe…Well, I'll just see you next time then. Take care then! Ja, mata ne!_

**_The chapter and omake were finished and posted on March 16, 2006._**

_Milky signing out! ;)_

_P.S. Coming up next: D-ranked missions for a whole week? What! Not again! The genin, more specifically Naruto, wants something else than all these chores! Who's this? An old drunkard from Wave? And they have to guard this bridge-builder? Too easy! Whatever could go wrong? The action commences! Watch out for **Chapter Six: Fighting to Protect!** Don't miss it!_

_Thanks to all those who reviewed again! Hope you leave a little something again! See you then:D_


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